Pune: A major water supply disruption occurred in Pune’s Nagar Road region after the jackwell at Bhama Askhed Dam failed due to an electrical fault. The situation escalated when disputes among tanker operators delayed water distribution, leaving residents in several areas without water for an entire day. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) faced challenges in handling the crisis as tanker contractors refused to comply with distribution orders.
On March 5 (Wednesday) afternoon, a burnt-out power cable at the Bhama Askhed Dam jackwell halted water supply to key areas including Vadgaon Sheri, Lohgaon, Viman Nagar, Chandan Nagar, and Dhanori.
By the following day (March 6), residents in these areas were completely without water, leading to urgent requests for tanker services. Many housing societies approached the municipal corporation for relief, while some residents sought help from local political representatives to secure free tanker water.
Tanker Operators Refuse to Comply, Halting Water Supply
A fresh crisis emerged at the Wadgaon tanker-filling center, where tanker contractors refused to prioritize water distribution as instructed by municipal officials. While the PMC ordered tankers to be sent to Wadgaon Sheri, the operators insisted on first supplying water to Kharadi and Chandan Nagar, delaying relief efforts. Attempts by PMC officials to resolve the matter were ignored, and one contractor suspended his drivers, halting the water distribution process.
The crisis took a political turn as multiple corporators issued recommendation letters for free water tankers to their respective constituencies. This led to confusion and arguments at the filling center over whose request should be fulfilled first, further delaying the relief efforts.
“There was some confusion at the Wadgaon Sheri tanker-filling center due to the stance taken by some contractors. However, the service was later restored.”
— Nandkishore Jagtap, Head, Water Supply Department