Kalyan: Residents of Runwal Garden township in Dombivli have been grappling with water shortages following the MIDC’s 36-hour water shutdown, with residents of Phase 2 alleging that the township management is supplying water for fewer hours to their towers compared with those in other phases.Residents of Phase 2, comprising eight towers with around 1,200 flats and an estimated population of 5,000, said the water supply had yet to return to normal even on Sunday, two days after the scheduled shutdown ended. They alleged that water was being supplied for only a few hours a day, leaving them struggling to manage their daily needs.The shortage has also forced residents to depend on private water tankers to meet their daily requirements. On Sunday, too, private tankers had to be arranged to meet the water needs of Phase 2 residents.Over the past week, residents have staged protests at the builder’s office on four occasions, demanding a regular water supply. On Sunday, too, a group of residents gathered at the Runwal management office to raise the issue.During the protest, a delegation accused the management of supplying water adequately to the others while neglecting Phase 2, where several flats are yet to be sold. The management representatives denied the allegations, calling them baseless, and reportedly told residents that they could operate the water valves themselves if they wished.Residents also alleged that the towers lacked an adequate water storage system, adding to their difficulties whenever the supply was disrupted.A resident of Phase 1 told TOI that the water shortage wasn’t limited to Phase 2. “We are also facing water problems and have staged a protest,” he said.Runwal Garden management attributed the disruption to MIDC’s water shutdown, saying the supply disruption lasted 36 to 48 hours. The management said the issue had already been discussed with its committee team and meetings had been scheduled to resolve it.Audumber Alat, deputy engineer with the MIDC, said the agency directly supplied water to large townships in Kalyan rural, including Runwal Garden. However, the MIDC had not received any complaint from the township regarding the shortage, he said.“If a complaint is received, we will investigate why the township is facing a water shortage,” Alat said.He explained that the MIDC’s scheduled 36-hour shutdown began on Thursday and ended at noon on Friday. It takes an additional six hours for the water supply to stabilise and reach all areas normally, he said, adding that regular supply was expected to resume by around 6pm on Friday.The persistent shortage has left residents demanding that the township management ensure equitable and uninterrupted water distribution across all three phases.
