Residents of Vimannagar in Pune are facing severe water supply problems once again. This comes even though summer is still about one and a half months away. People are now forced to rely on costly private water tankers after a brief period of stable supply.
Supply Curtailed and Pressure Drops
Sambit Pradhan, Chairman of the Lunkad Colonnade 1 housing society in Vimannagar, shared his concerns. He said the area enjoyed nearly a month and a half without water issues. "Now the supply has been curtailed again and we are back to relying on tankers," Pradhan stated. "I am afraid of what may happen during peak summer. While the supply duration remains the same, the pressure has dropped. We are unable to fill society overhead tanks, leading to a severe shortage."
Worsening Situation Near Ganapati Chowk
Faisal Ansari, chairman of a housing society near Ganapati Chowk, described a steadily deteriorating situation. "We have been facing water issues for over a month and are struggling for proper supply," Ansari explained. "We get water for two hours or less, and that too on medium or low pressure. Earlier, we used to get water for at least four hours at good pressure."
Ansari expressed frustration with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) linemen. He said they give multiple excuses for the disruption.
- The distribution tank is not full.
- There are issues with pipelines.
- Maintenance work is in progress.
- Water has not been received from the main source.
"I wonder what kind of maintenance work takes months with no evident improvement," Ansari questioned. "How is it that the main source water supply has stopped despite good rains?" His society now arranges for at least two to three tankers daily.
High Costs for Societies
Beena Singh, a managing committee member of Zircon Society in Vimannagar, reported similar problems. "The supply was sufficient for nearly one and half months, but the problem has resurfaced in the last three days," Singh said. "We have been ordering two tankers a day since the civic elections. A tanker costs Rs 2,000 and its water is used for drinking purposes. PMC water is supplied only to our kitchens."
With 288 flats, Zircon Society needs around one lakh litres of water each day. Tankers become unavoidable when the municipal supply falls short.
PMC Official Claims Unawareness
A PMC water supply department official told reporters she was unaware of the problem. "I will first have to check the issues and societies affected," she stated. However, Vimannagar residents claimed they had lodged multiple complaints with this very same official. They were assured a resolution within four days, but no action has been taken.
The recurring water crisis in Vimannagar highlights significant civic infrastructure challenges. Residents face financial strain and daily inconvenience as they await a permanent solution from the municipal authorities.
