Hundreds of thousands of residents in Thane are facing a severe water shortage crisis after the municipal corporation was forced to implement a drastic 50 percent cut in supply. This emergency measure was triggered by significant damage to a major water pipeline nearly two weeks ago, plunging large parts of the city into distress.
Root Cause: Excavation Work Damages Critical Pipeline
The core of the problem lies in the repeated damage inflicted upon an aging but crucial pipeline owned by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). This 1,000-mm pipeline carries water from the Pise weir to the Temghar filtration plant. Officials confirmed that the breaches occurred during excavation work carried out by a contractor for Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL).
Two to three breaches were reported near the Kalyan Phata area, compelling the civic body to frequently shut down the line for urgent repairs. This pipeline is a vital artery, responsible for supplying approximately 100 million liters per day (MLD) of the city's total daily supply of 585 MLD. The loss of this volume has created a massive deficit in the water distribution network.
Society Struggles and Soaring Demand for Tankers
The consequences of the supply cut have been immediate and harsh. Housing societies across Thane are at the forefront of managing resident complaints and scrambling to find alternative water sources. The most common fallback—private water tankers—has become both scarce and unreliable due to a sudden, city-wide surge in demand.
Office-goers, who number in the lakhs, are among the worst affected. With no water at home, many have been forced to turn to expensive packaged drinking water for their daily needs, significantly increasing their cost of living. A resident from a housing complex along Ghodbunder highway voiced the common frustration, stating, "We've faced sudden shortages for days and have no clarity on restoration. Tanker supplies, which we usually depend on, have also become unreliable."
Political Reactions and Demands for Accountability
The prolonged crisis has drawn sharp political reactions. The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) has demanded strict action against the MGL contractor and civic officials, alleging that there has been inaction even 15 days after the initial incident. The party has called for repairs to be completed on a "war footing" and for accountability to be fixed within the TMC's water supply department.
In response, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik assured that the civic administration is working to restore the damaged pipelines at the earliest. However, with the pipeline's age and the severity of the damage, residents remain anxious about when normal supply will resume, leaving a city parched and pleading for a swift resolution.
