Pimpri-Chinchwad Residents Face Delays As Bhama Askhed Water Pipeline Remains Incomplete
Pune: Hinjawadi Commuters to Benefit from New Bridge Connecting Mamurdi & Sangavade
Pimpri: The much-anticipated water supply project from Bhama Askhed Dam to Pimpri-Chinchwad continues to progress at a sluggish pace. Despite a four-year deadline set for completion, only 48% of the pipeline work has been completed. This delay has forced city residents to wait another year for daily water supply improvements.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) had initially planned for the pipeline project to be completed by December 15, 2024, after awarding the ₹162 crore contract to Offshore India Ltd. in December 2020. However, of the planned 19 kilometers of pipeline, only 9 kilometers have been laid. The PCMC is now considering extending the deadline by another year while issuing notices to the contractor for the delays.
Currently, the city receives 610 MLD (million liters per day) of water from Pavana and Andra dams, supplemented by MIDC supply. However, this supply remains insufficient for the city’s rapidly growing population, now exceeding 3 million. Residents face irregular, inadequate, and low-pressure water supply, with alternate-day distribution in place for the past five years.
Land Acquisition Delays
The project has been hindered by delays in land acquisition, with 40% of the pipeline route requiring permissions from various state and central authorities, including the Public Works Department, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, Forest Department, and the National Highway Authority of India. Out of the remaining 10 kilometers, only 2.5 kilometers of land have been acquired, while acquisition for the remaining 7.5 kilometers is ongoing.
Work on Andra Dam Pipeline Yet to Begin
The water supply from Andra Dam to the Chikhli purification plant is also part of the project, requiring a 7.5-kilometer pipeline. However, work on this section has not yet started. Currently, water from the Indrayani River is being diverted via the Nighoje Barrage to meet some of the city’s needs.
Officials Demand Accountability
In a review meeting, Additional Commissioner Pradeep Jambhale expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress and reprimanded the contractor. The PCMC water supply department is also under scrutiny, with Chief Engineer Pramod Ombase stating that the remaining work could take another year.
Residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad will now have to endure continued irregular water supply as delays in critical infrastructure projects persist.
