PMC floats new tender for equitable water project in merged villages

PMC is forced to issue a new request due to lack of cooperation and affordability from the previous contractor

Even as the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) equitable water project is running behind deadline, it has again started the process of request for proposal (RFP) for the 34 villages merged within its civic limits.

PMC equitable water project is running behind deadline, it has again started the process of request for proposal (RFP) for the 34 villages merged within its civic limits. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

PMC is forced to issue a new request due to lack of cooperation and affordability from the previous contractor. The civic body has sought proposals for the design review, supervision, and project management consultancy for the remaining work of implementing an equitable water supply system in the newly merged villages.

The state government took the decision to merge 23 villages within the PMC limits in 2021, and 17 villages were already added to its jurisdiction in 2017. The mergers increased the city’s population to over 50 lakh.

The residents of merged villages claim that the civic body has failed to provide basic facilities such as drinking water, sewage and roads. Most of the merged villages are dependent on tanker water.

Last year, PMC awarded a tender worth ₹1,300 crore to a company based in Madhya Pradesh for the design, execution, and operation and maintenance (O&M) of the project. The contract included a four-year period for the design and execution phase, followed by five years of operation and maintenance. However, the contractor only managed to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for five out of the 34 villages — Bavdhan, Sus, Mhalunge, Lohegaon, and Wagholi.

Aniruddha Pawaskar, chief superintendent engineer, PMC water supply department, said, “The previous contractor failed to meet our terms and conditions. We have floated tender again for the project.”

“To meet the water demand of 34 merged villages included in the project’s population over a 30-year plan, PMC requires 10 thousand million per cubic feet (TMC) of water. We have written to the state water resource department requesting 5 TMC of water from Mulshi dam and awaiting their reply. Currently, we are managing to provide water from the existing quota,” a water supply department official said on condition of anonymity.

Prasana Joshi, executive engineer, water supply department, said, “We have floated tender for laying pipelines and constructing water tanks in Bavdhan, Sus, and Mahalunge at an estimated cost of ₹110 crore. Additionally, we have made estimates for Lohegaon and Wagholi areas. We have not paid the previous contractor and asked him to submit all reports and work.”

Out of 34 villages, Wagholi, Sus, Baner, Balewadi, Mhalunge and Narhe are the most urbanised areas with more than 1,000 housing societies. Some of the housing societies are spending around 80 per cent of maintenance charges on water.