TAPS RUN DRY
Nearly 88% of the project is complete, with around 60 water-supply zones ready, according to PMC. Of the 83 planned overhead water tanks, more than 65 have been built.
Residents, however, said delayed completion of overhead water tanks and unfinished distribution networks had left the city ill-prepared to tackle the latest water crisis. “The weekly water cuts are going to put an additional burden on citizens,” activist Prashant Surase said, expressing disappointment over the lack of progress despite repeated agitations. Similar concerns have emerged from Mohammadwadi, where residents said water availability had improved marginally in recent months but low-pressure supply continued to be a major challenge.
For many, the numbers mean little when taps continue to run dry. In Hadapsar, where residents recently staged protests outside the PMC headquarters over delays in commissioning overhead tanks, the situation remains unchanged. Citizens insisted that strengthening the distribution network was as critical as creating storage infrastructure.
An official said installation of automatic water meters remained incomplete in several areas due to resistance from residents.
Senior Congress leader and former mayor Prashant Jagtap said the city would have been better equipped to manage the current water shortage had the project been completed on time. BJP must accelerate the remaining projects and ensure the system becomes fully operational at the earliest,” Jagtap said. “In addition, water distribution pipelines are yet to be connected to overhead tanks at some locations, preventing the infrastructure from being fully utilised,” the official said.
Opposition leaders have also sharpened their attack on the civic administration. “The administration has been slow in executing the works. PMC officials admitted that critical gaps persisted in the project.