Water supply to several parts of Yamunanagar in Nigdi, Pune, was disrupted for nearly three hours on Wednesday after an excavation team from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) damaged a municipal distribution pipeline. This marks the second such incident in the locality within the last 48 hours.
Recurring Damage Due to Lack of Coordination
Vijaysinha Bhosale, executive engineer of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) water supply department, attributed the recurring damage to a lack of coordination by the agency undertaking the digging. He stated, “The pipeline was damaged during MSEDCL’s ongoing work, affecting water supply across the locality. Our team carried out emergency repairs and restored the supply by noon. The disruption lasted approximately three hours.” Bhosale added that the civic body intends to issue a formal letter to MSEDCL demanding better coordination to prevent future infrastructure damage.
Impact on Residents
The disruption has hit residents particularly hard, as the PCMC already operates on an alternate-day water supply schedule. Any breakage in the network effectively extends the dry period for households by an additional day. The recurring service lapses sparked a protest by local activist Baba Parab, who alleged that the damage led to large-scale water wastage at a time when residents are already struggling with scarcity. Parab claimed, “Significant amounts of water are being lost due to these avoidable accidents. Despite the scale of the disruption, no civic official responded promptly to the residents’ calls.”
Technical Causes and Precautions
Addressing the technical cause of the accidents, Bhosale explained that most PCMC water pipelines are laid at a depth of 2 to 2.5 feet. He emphasized that any agency, private or government, must consult with the municipal corporation before digging to map out underground utility infrastructure. An MSEDCL official confirmed that the excavation was part of a project to lay power lines for “back feeding” in the area. “While the pipeline was damaged on both Tuesday and Wednesday, we are now taking extra precautions. The work is expected to be completed within the next 48 hours,” the official said.
Residents are advised to contact PCMC helplines for water supply updates and to report any further disruptions.
