Pune: Water supply issues in the east city areas of Wadgaonsheri and Vimannagar have intensified with the onset of summer, forcing numerous housing societies to increasingly rely on costly water tankers.In Vimannagar, residents reported erratic supply and rising tanker costs. A resident from Eden Park near Ganpati Mandir Chowk chose anonymity and said, “We did not receive water supply on Wednesday. We are purchasing a large number of tankers daily to meet our needs under this regular pressure. It is simply not sustainable to live this way.”Shashank Deshmukh, secretary of the Riddhi Enclave society in the same area, also said water supply had become highly erratic over the last two months and further worsened more recently. Residents are unable to understand the exact reason behind the recurring disruptions despite local representatives looking into the issue, he said.Deshmukh added, “The supply pattern had become unpredictable. If water is supplied one day, it is unlikely to be supplied the next day. When it comes, the pressure is low, and the next day there may be no supply at all. This is the pattern now,” he said.According to him, authorities often cite incomplete filling of tanks as the reason, but residents are left uncertain about the actual cause. He alleged that valve operations and water releases are entirely controlled by valvemen and claimed there could be collusion with tanker operators.Residents of Riddhi Enclave, which has 196 flats and rowhouses across seven buildings, are heavily dependent on tankers. “One Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) tanker is of no use for such a large society. We need nearly nine of them,” said Deshmukh, adding that even private tankers are becoming difficult to procure now. “Earlier, during the monsoon, tankers would arrive within 10 minutes. Now, even after repeatedly calling operators since morning, they only say they will try but cannot guarantee anything,” he said.Prashant Kadam, a member of a local residents’ group in Wadgaonsheri, alleged that this prolonged shortage of water is benefiting tanker suppliers. “The shortage continues as supplying water through tankers is more profitable for both suppliers and some people involved in the system,” he alleged.Kadam added that residents are facing both low-pressure and reduced duration of water supply. “Earlier, PMC water used to be supplied for around an hour. Now, it is not even supplied properly for 45 minutes,” he said, adding that the problem had persisted for nearly one-and-a-half months and exacerbated in the last few days.According to Kadam, most parts of Wadgaonsheri are affected. He further claimed private tankers are filled from the same PMC water sources meant for regular supply.Meanwhile, Kharadi residents, under the banner of the Kharadi Housing Societies Welfare Association, recently organised a human chain fast protest to highlight persistent shortages. “We had followed up with PMC in July last year about unused overhead tanks in the area, and were told that the third tank would be operational within three months. However, it took almost six months, and even after that, the quota has not increased,” said Deepak Patil from the association.According to residents, the situation got worse from Feb onwards, with a noticeable drop in water pressure and supply levels. “Till mid-Jan, things were manageable. After that, supply reduced sharply, and tanker dependence skyrocketed,” said Patil, adding that last year, 33 societies in the area collectively spent nearly Rs1 crore on tanker water.A PMC official attributed a recent electricity-related disruption in Vimannagar to the effect on water supply. “There was a temporary problem due to an electricity issue at the source. It has been resolved and supply should be normal,” the official said, adding that the Kharadi issue is linked to ongoing tank infrastructure work, which is expected to be completed by the end of May.
