Pune: Residents of Pimpri Chinchwad will have to wait longer for relief from water supply woes, as the municipal corporation has once again extended the completion deadline of the Bhama Askhed project.The project, awarded in Aug 2020, was initially slated for completion in Dec 2024. The deadline was later pushed to Dec 31, 2025. It has now been extended further to March 2026.At present, residents of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) receive water supply on alternate days.According to a civic official, the water issue isdue to the shortage of allocation from the irrigation department. “The situation is expected to improve once the civic body starts getting additional water from the Bhama Askhed dam, paving the way for a daily supply,” the official said.A senior PCMC official from the water supply department confirmed the extension of the project deadline, attributing the delay primarily to the monsoon. He said the remaining works are of a critical nature.“The water pipeline has to cross the dam and a river stretch where work is still pending. The water levels have increased during the monsoon, so we have to wait until they recede. The situation is similar at the jackwell site, where construction of the approach bridge has stalled due to high water levels,” the official said, adding that work at other locations is progressing and efforts are being made to finish the project on priority.The work is being executed in two phases — laying a pipeline from the dam to the city and constructing a jackwell.”Around 85% of the jackwell-related work and 65% of the pipeline laying is complete,” he added.The Bhama Askhed project, once completed,will supply 167 MLD of water to Pimpri Chinchwad, helping meet the city’s current demand. At present, PCMC receives 620 MLD from Pavana and Andra dams, against a requirement of 720–750 MLD.Another civic official said thecity’s population has already crossed 30 lakh, compared to 17 lakh in the 2011 Census.”We are anticipating a higher water demand in the coming years, considering the rise in the population.The civic body has sought additional water allocation from the Mulshi dam and is awaiting funds to kickstart the long-pending Pavana direct pipeline project,” he said.The Pavana pipeline project, stalled for over 12 years due to farmers’ protests, received a go-ahead from the state govt in 2023 after the stay was lifted. However, the work has not yet begun as the civic administrationis awaiting financial support from the state for the project, which is likely to cost over Rs 1,000 crore as per the revised Detailed Project Report (DPR). Once completed, the project is expected to bring in an additional 100 MLD of water to the city, which is currently lost due to leakage and transevaporation.Meanwhile, housing societies and federations in the area have announced a ban on the entry of politicians into their premises for campaigning during the civic elections unless their problems related to water shortage are addressed.Sanjeevan Sangle, president of the Chikhali-Moshi Pimpri Chinchwad Housing Societies Federation, said it was unfortunate that despite the city being branded a Smart City, several housing societies remain dependent on tankers even during the monsoon. “A society in Gaikwad Wasti in Moshi requires at least four to five tankers daily to meet its water needs, even when heavy rains are reported in the city. In our meeting held at this society, it was decided that no politician will be allowed to visit the premises for campaigning if the water problem was not solved,” Sangle said.
