Central Delhi localities endure supply cut as Chandrawal water treatment plant production hit

DJB officials said while the dewatering has been completed, repair of damaged pipeline, high tension wire panels and equipment will take time

New Delhi:Several neighbourhoods in central Delhi on Monday witnessed halted water supply owing to flooding of the pump house at the Chandrawal water treatment plant (WTP). The DJB, on Sunday, had warned that supply disruption may continue till Tuesday.

Ashok Bhasin, president of a federation of North Delhi residents’ welfare associations, said, “Tankers are not available and helplines are not responsive. Not everyone can afford sourcing water cans.” (HT Archive)

DJB officials said while the dewatering has been completed, repair of damaged pipeline, high tension wire panels and equipment will take time.

Consumers on Monday complained that the water advisory was issued too late and helplines were not responsive. Most complaints came from areas like Patel Nagar, Karol Bagh, Baljeet Nagar, Shadipur, and Ranjeet Nagar areas.

Ashok Bhasin, president of a federation of North Delhi residents’ welfare associations, said, “There is absolutely no water in taps across central Delhi region. We are flooded with complaints. Timarpur, Patel Nagar, Naraina; we are getting complaints from everywhere. Tankers are not available and helplines are not responsive. Not everyone can afford sourcing water cans.”

Consumers took to social media to express their outrage. Aniket Singh, a resident of the area, said water supply has been cut in Bapa Nagar and Pyare Lal Road in Karol Bagh since yesterday, pointing out that families were enduring much trouble in bathing and washing, especially amid Navratri.

Jasmine Ramchandani, a resident, alleged “total system failure” in Delhi’s water supply. ‘Weekly issues at Chandrawal plant is frustrating. Water tankers not answering calls. Why do we vote or pay taxes if we have to beg for a drop of water every week,’ she said.

Palak Khanna from Patel Nagar said, “Day 2 without water supply in Patel Nagar area and without any intimation on restoration efforts. On top of paying taxes, paying exorbitant prices to buy water for daily needs now.”

Shiva Yadav from Karol Bagh wrote on X, “There has not been a single drop of water supply at my home in Karol Bagh since yesterday evening. Residents are facing serious difficulty managing daily needs due to this severe water shortage.”

The New Delhi Municipal Council has also issued a water supply disruption warning for localities in Lutyens’ Delhi. “There will be no water spply from Jhandewalan reservoir, Talkatora reservoir and Hasanpur reservoir,” the advisory said.

The Chandrawal facility – which sources raw water from the Yamuna near the Wazirabad barrage – comprises two units that together supply 90 million gallons per day (mgd) of water. Phase-2, the unit that has been affected, accounts for 55 mgd.