Pune: Residents of Gokhalenagar and Senapati Bapat (SB) Road expressed mounting frustration on Wednesday as inconsistent water supply—a problem that has plagued the area for months—was exacerbated by a failed repair attempt of the pipeline and delayed restoration.The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had initiated a day-long closure on Tuesday to plug leakages in the main transmission line carrying water from the SNDT water works to the Pashan unit. However, the mission proved unsuccessful, and citizens continued to face dry taps and low pressure well into Wednesday afternoon.While supply was expected to resume on Wednesday morning, officials from the water supply department stated that the area’s uneven terrain hampered the process. “Valves were reactivated in a phased manner, but localities along SB Road are situated on a steep gradient, which delayed restoration until late afternoon,” a PMC official explained.The persistent disruptions have sparked anger among locals. Ashok Dongre, a resident of Gokhalenagar, noted that parts of Model Colony and Shivajinagar have also been grappling with erratic supply. “The situation has never been this grim. We don’t know the exact reason, but the supply has been adverrsely affected. The administration must prioritise this issue, especially with the summer months approaching,” Dongre said.Former local corporator Aditya Malve added that the issue has been raised repeatedly with civic authorities, emphasizing that aging pipelines in several pockets require urgent replacement.The situation is likely to worsen, as another water cut is expected next week. During Tuesday’s shutdown, PMC teams used advanced cameras to pinpoint leakages near University Chowk, but the technology failed to detect the exact breach points.“Because the cameras were unable to detect the leakages, we have decided to carry out a similar search operation next week,” a PMC official said. “The focus will shift to the transmission line in the area of the CID office.” This failed attempt means another round of closures is inevitable, leaving residents bracing for further disruptions in the coming days.
