Pimpri Chinchwad Residents Grapple with Premature Water Shortage
In an alarming development, several neighborhoods across Pimpri Chinchwad, particularly Vishalnagar and Ravet, have been experiencing critically low-pressure water supply over recent days. This unexpected scarcity has compelled multiple housing societies to resort to water tankers much earlier than the typical summer timeline, raising serious concerns about civic infrastructure and resource management.
Ravet Residents Confront Recurring Supply Issues
Mayur Kolambkar, a resident of the 128-flat Elina Homes Housing Society in Ravet, highlighted the severity of the situation. "Our complex usually requires tanker water after March every summer," Kolambkar explained. "This year, we were forced to call tankers as early as January because of the low-pressure supply over the past few days." He noted that a similar problem occurred last year, prompting residents to document water supply readings and escalate the issue to officials from the water supply department, which eventually led to a resolution.
Vishalnagar Faces More Acute Water Scarcity
The water crisis appears even more severe in Vishalnagar, where residents from multiple housing societies have reported inadequate supply and persistently low pressure. Rahul Patil, a resident of Shriram Plaza Housing Society, which comprises 12 flats, described how their storage tanks, which previously filled to capacity, are now receiving only 20-30% of their capacity. "Fortunately, we have borewells to manage the demand, but this is not right," Patil asserted. "We pay taxes to the civic body on time, but do not get basic services in return."
Alternate-Day Supply System Exacerbates Problems
The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) supplies water on alternate days across the twin cities, a system that is now under strain. Ram Krishna, a Vishalnagar resident, reported that the low-pressure supply issue has persisted since January 10, especially along the stretch from the Military Compound to DP Road. "Storage tanks are not getting filled to capacity because of inadequate supply," Krishna stated. "Naturally, the stored water is insufficient to last for two days, as we receive water on alternate days."
Residents of Creative Sunrise Housing Society on DP Road echoed these concerns, emphasizing that existing water tanks in housing societies are already insufficient for storing water for two days due to the alternate-day supply. The current low-pressure situation is only aggravating this fundamental problem, they added.
PCMC Official Acknowledges Issue and Outlines Solution
A senior official from the PCMC water supply department acknowledged that the problem is confined to specific areas and assured that it would be addressed promptly. "Such problems usually begin in February as water demand increases," the official noted. "We are working on bringing additional water from the Bhama Askhed dam. Once that project is complete, the water scarcity issue in Pimpri Chinchwad would be addressed to a large extent."
This early onset of water scarcity underscores the urgent need for robust infrastructure upgrades and proactive measures to ensure reliable water supply for residents, especially as summer approaches and demand is expected to surge further.
