Water shortage for 15 days but no resolution, say DLF-3 residents

Residents alleged that the problem occurs every summer, but that the authorities concerned have failed to provide relief despite repeated complaints over the past few years

Residents of DLF Phase-3 complained of water shortage for the past 15 days, due to which they are buying water from private tankers at exorbitant rates. They alleged that the problem occurs every summer, but that the authorities concerned have failed to provide relief despite repeated complaints over the past few years.

Water from the Basai water plant is supplied through the Sector 16 pumping station to the colony. (HT Archive)

Even as residents alleged that the issue has worsened this year due to an increase in population, the developer, DLF, and the civic agency concerned, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (DLF), denied allegations of short supply.

Achal Malhotra, the president of V Residents Empowerment and Welfare Society, said that basic requirements are not being met due to a severe shortage of water. “We have to depend on private tankers for water supply as our pleas to the GMDA, district administration and the developer failed to elicit any response. The residents are told by GMDA that the problem is with local distribution, while the developer says the former is not supplying adequate water. We have nowhere to go,” said Malhotra.

On June 25, the association wrote to the Gurugram district administration also in this regard. “The matter has been raised with DLF and the civic agencies. DLF blames Huda, GMDA etc for supplying insufficient water. The agencies concerned hold DLF responsible for inadequate storage facilities and flawed distribution system. In this process of blame game, it is the DLF residents who are suffering the most,” an excerpt from the letter read.

A resident, requesting anonymity, said that residents of the area have held protests over water shortage every year since 2013. “The residents came to live in the colony to get away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi. They expected peace of mind and comfortable life, but contrary to that, poor infrastructure has made life difficult,” the resident said.

Prem Chopra, another resident, said that people were finding it difficult to perform basic household chores for the past two to three weeks. “Living on water supplied from private tankers is not feasible,” he said.

David Amalraj, the senior vice-president, DLF Estate Developers Limited, said that they have been supplying adequate water to residents throughout the year and there is no complaint of shortage. “It is only during peak summer that for a couple of days, shortage of water supply happens and that too, due to reduction in water supplied by the GMDA. If there is adequate water available, then there would be no shortage. We have also held meetings with the authority to resolve the issue,” said Amalraj, adding that the company arranges tankers.

However, the GMDA officials denied a shortage in supply. “The amount of water fixed for the colony, as per the service agreement, is being supplied. There has been no problem with our supply system and adequate water is being supplied. The developer should look into their distribution system if there is a problem because we are supplying more than the stipulated amount,” said Abhinav Verma, executive engineer of GMDA, who is responsible for the area.

Verma said that water from the Basai water treatment plant is pumped through the Sector 16 pumping station to the area.

Members of the residents’ association said that the recent decision of the government to allow four storeys for constructions on a plot would adversely impact them, as infrastructure for water, power and sewage was already being stretched. “The city was planned and infrastructure laid for a population of 1 million and now, the numbers are more than 3 million. With the number of new apartments coming up due to this decision, the infrastructure is going to crumble,” a resident said, requesting anonymity.