Here,traffic flows too fast and water too slow

Invariably,water shortage in the locality comes up for discussion in the general body but the civic administration has so far proved ineffective in improving the situation even as its plan of drawing water from Bhama Askhed dam to pump it into the parched locality has not taken off the block .

The fast development of the area,off Ahmednagar Road,accelerated further by the proximity to the airport,railway station and Pune main busstand,has invited population pressure but the water pressure in pipelines remains low in summer.

“It was a mistake to purchase property in the area. Water is the basic need of every household and we struggle to get sufficient water. The demand to the administration to improve supply has not been met so far,” said Vickrant Mengde,a Viman Nagar resident.

He said various housing societies had been protesting against the failure of the civic administration to provide sufficient water. “Mere assurances are made. The water crisis hits us hard in summer as water flows at low pressure and for fewer hours,” Mengde said.

The frequent protests from the people had forced the PMC to plan to draw water from resources other than the Khadakwasla dam. “It was decided to draw water from the Bhama Askhed dam 40 km from the area. There was a budgetary provision made in the previous year but the project could not take off as there was no clearance from the irrigation department,” said zonal commissioner Bhanudas Mane.

He said that efforts are now on to improve the existing water supply system so that residents get more water. “The PMC had undertaken the task of digging borewells in the area so that the demand can be met. A survey has been conducted to identify locations where borewells can be dug,” Mane said.

Corporator Sagar Malkar said that the water problem would have been completely resolved if the project to draw water from the Bhama Askhed dam was implemented. “There was a plan to draw 200 million litres per day from the dam,but nothing has happened so far,” he said. A water supply department official said the irrigation department has been insisting the PMC to reduce use of water supplied from the Khadakwasla dam. The irrigation department has pointed out that the PMC is already drawing 12 TMC water,which is more than the required 8 TMC.

“Citizens have the habit of using more water than the normal standard of 150 litres per head and the best way to meet the water demand would be by reducing consumption from 240 litre to 150 litre per head per day,” said Mayor Mohansingh Rajpal.