Pune: Frequent damage to water pipelines during ongoing Metro work has prompted Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) to approach senior Maha Metro officials, seeking better coordination to prevent recurring incidents.The latest incident occurred at Nigdi on Wednesday, when a major water pipeline was damaged during construction work, leading to wastage of a large quantity of water and inconvenience to commuters on old Pune-Mumbai highway. The road connecting Nigdi and Pimpri was flooded, with water flowing across the stretch, commuters said.Vikas Patil, a Nigdi resident, said the civic body already provides water on alternate days and such incidents further compound residents’ woes. “Maharashtra is facing a drought-like situation, and the govt and administration are appealing to people to conserve water. However, thousands of litres of water went to waste on the road because of a lack of coordination between two govt agencies,” he said.A senior PCMC official said this was the third or fourth such incident reported in the past few months. “We have decided to write to senior Metro officials, highlighting the recurring problem and seeking a permanent solution. There needs to be proper coordination between Metro and civic departments before excavation and other construction work is undertaken to prevent damage to existing utility lines,” the official said.An official from the civic water supply department said the damaged pipeline was isolated on priority, despite most staffers being on Diwali holiday. Additional personnel were mobilised at short notice and worked through the night to complete repairs.“We made alternative arrangements to ensure routine water supply to residents was not affected. It took around eight to nine hours to repair the damaged pipeline,” the official said.A senior Maha Metro official said the contractor concerned had been instructed to take adequate precautions to prevent such incidents. “Contractors have also been directed to carry out repairs immediately to minimise inconvenience,” the official said.Maha Metro is currently constructing a 4.413-km extension of Pune Metro’s north-south corridor from PCMC to Nigdi (Bhakti Shakti), which will have four elevated stations. Of the 153 piers planned for the elevated viaduct, 138 have been completed, while 143 of the 153 open foundations and pile caps are ready. Further, 1,175 of 1,329 segments required for the viaduct have been cast. The project is scheduled for completion by March 31, 2027.
