Wakad residents face acute water shortage, blame demolition drive for disruption

According to the residents, the demolition drive was carried out on January 7 before which, the societies were receiving around 160 to 170 units of water on alternate days

Over 1,000 families living in housing societies on Datta Mandir Road and Green Drive Road in Wakad are grappling with severe water shortage since the past one week. Residents of these societies claim that the problem arose after a demolition drive carried out by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to clear illegal construction on Datta Mandir Road for development of a 45-metre road in the development plan (DP).

Following the demolition drive however, they have been receiving only 40 to 45 units of water on alternate days, leaving them struggling to meet their daily water needs. (HT PHOTO)

According to the residents, the demolition drive was carried out on January 7 before which, the societies were receiving around 160 to 170 units of water on alternate days. Following the demolition drive however, they have been receiving only 40 to 45 units of water on alternate days, leaving them struggling to meet their daily water needs. Already, Pimpri-Chinchwad gets water supply on alternate days and now, that too has reduced drastically, they said.

Santosh Patil, a resident of one of the affected housing societies, said, “The water supply has drastically reduced, and despite our complaints, no action has been taken. We are dependent on water tankers, which is an additional expense. The PCMC provides around three to four water tankers which is not enough. The civic body should take the responsibility to provide adequate water for free till the problem is resolved.”

Meanwhile, the PCMC is yet to ascertain the root cause of the scarcity despite repeated complaints from residents. The complaints raised on the SARATHI helpline have fallen on deaf ears with no response from the civic body. Residents demanded that the PCMC take immediate measures to restore normal water supply.

Dattatraya Deshmukh, president of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Cooperative Housing Societies Federation, said that over 1,000 families residing in 15 to 20 housing societies located on these roads are facing water shortage. “All these societies are big and have installed water meters to monitor the water supply. Post the demolition drive, the water supply has drastically reduced,” he said.

Deshmukh further informed that the civic body is yet to identify the exact cause of the problem. “The PCMC has a holiday on Saturday and Sunday but citizens were struggling due to water shortage. After multiple requests, we got around three or four tankers from the PCMC, but one tanker is around one unit of water, which is inadequate,” he said.

Ajay Suryawanshi, joint city engineer, PCMC water supply department head, said that the complaint might have been received at the zonal level. “During the drive, the water lines might have been disturbed which has led to a water supply issue. Instructions will be given to solve the issue on priority and restore the supply,” he said.