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Over 1K evacuated as water released from dams amid incessant rains in Pimpri-Chinchwad
Torrential rain and dam discharges have flooded parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad, prompting the evacuation of 1,127 residents to relief centers.
Torrential rain combined with the release of water from Pavana and Mulshi dams has led to a flood like situation in several parts of Pimpri-Chinchwad. According to officials, the civic body has evacuated 1,127 residents from 340 families as a precautionary measure.
Till Wednesday morning, the water discharge from the Mulshi dam was increased by 10,000 cusecs, with collective outflow from the Pavana and Mulshi dams reaching 50,000 cusecs in the wake of heavy rain in catchment areas.
From Tuesday to 5 pm on Wednesday, these families were shifted to municipal relief centres, where arrangements for food, drinking water, medical assistance, and other essential facilities have been made, said officials.
Areas under special watch include Bhatnagar, Labour Camp, Kiwale, Keshavnagar, Jadhav Ghat, Kalewadi, Panchsheel Nagar (Pimple Nilakh), Ramnagar (Bopkhel), Sanjay Gandhi Nagar, and Laxminagar (Pimple Gurav), where the risk of waterlogging remains high due to their proximity to riverbeds.
The civic body confirmed that five regional offices are currently sheltering displaced families. In ward A, 242 people are availing shelter, while in ward B, 380, in ward D, at least 14 people, in ward E, 102, and in ward H, 260 people.
Shekhar Singh, PCMC municipal commissioner, said, “The civic disaster control room is operating round the clock and directed that once floodwaters recede, cleaning operations in affected areas must be carried out on a war footing.”
Singh visited several relief shelters, including those set up at Late Navnath Dagdu Sable School in Bhatnagar and at Ahilyadevi Holkar School in Sangvi, where he interacted with displaced residents. He also inspected the Mulanagar locality and reviewed the rising water levels of the Pawana River.
“Our teams are closely monitoring rainfall, dam discharges, and river levels. Evacuation alerts are being given through loudspeakers, and citizens are being shifted to safety in time. Ensuring the safety, health, and dignity of affected families is our top priority,” Singh said.
Medical teams have been deployed at each shelter to carry out health check-ups and provide primary treatment. Singh further appealed to citizens to consume only boiled or filtered water and urged them to call PCMC’s Sarathi helpline (8888006666), the Disaster Control Room (020-67331111 / 020-28331111), or the Fire Brigade (7030908991) in case of emergencies.
Senior civic officials, including additional commissioners Pradip Jambhale Patil, Vijaykumar Khorate, and Trupti Sandbhor, inspected shelters and low-lying areas on Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Evacuations continued late into the night, with regional officers supervising operations on the ground. Shelters at Kamla Nehru Primary School in Pimpri, Fugewadi, and Jadhavwadi were also inspected to ensure that food, water, and other facilities were in place.
Meanwhile, heavy dam discharges have added to the flooding risk. As of Wednesday evening, Pawana Dam (98.29% full) was releasing 11,690 cusecs into the Pawana River, while Mulshi Dam (97.4% full) released 22,700 cusecs into the Mula River.
Khadakwasla Dam has been releasing 39,139 cusecs into the Mutha River since Wednesday morning. Authorities cautioned that these figures are subject to change depending on rainfall and inflow.
