The water crisis in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city continues unabated, with several neighbourhoods receiving tap water only 15 to 16 times in the 133 days since January 1. This stark reality exposes a significant gap between official claims and ground reality, raising serious questions about prolonged delays in augmenting water supply.
Official Claims vs. Ground Reality
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Ambadas Danve highlighted that based on the supply cycle of the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation, the city should have received water at least 44 times during this period. However, actual supply has been provided only 15 to 16 times. While the administration claims water is supplied every three days, residents are receiving water only once every 15 to 16 days, which is beyond comprehension, he said.
Unfulfilled Promises
The grim situation persists despite Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's assurance during a poll campaign in January that the city would receive smooth water supply within two months. Residents say this promise remains unfulfilled months later.
Inconvenient Timing
Erratic supply is compounded by inconvenient timing. Many localities receive water between midnight and early morning, forcing residents to stay awake and disrupting daily life. Jyoti Beedkar, a resident, said, "While erratic water supply remains an issue, the water supply during odd hours is another issue. We have started believing that it is a curse to live in this city."
Burden on Fringe Areas
The burden is especially severe in fringe areas, where residents increasingly depend on private water tankers, incurring significant expenses. Akash Gole, a resident of the Satara area, said, "Before the municipal elections, BJP and the CM had promised to ensure daily water supply for the city in a couple of months. However, in reality, the situation has failed to improve."
Civic Authorities' Response
Civic authorities have acknowledged repeated disruptions but failed to account for the actual number of supply days. A senior official said, "No doubt the supply was disrupted on multiple occasions due to breaches in the pipelines and distribution network, among other technical issues. Once completed, the new water supply project will end the water woes."
Infrastructure Delays
However, the Rs 2,740 crore water supply project, touted as the long-term solution, has already missed multiple deadlines with no firm timeline for full commissioning. This deepens public frustration and erodes confidence in official assurances.
Systemic Crisis
With supply gaps widening, promises unmet, and infrastructure delays continuing, residents say the city's water crisis is no longer seasonal but systemic, demanding urgent accountability and time-bound action.
