Mumbai: Why should we face a water shortage, ask parched Charkop residents

The population has increased in the region in the past three decades adding to the issue. File pic/Nimesh Dave

Residents of Charkop have been complaining that while the city has been receiving water without any cuts, they, for the past many years, have been facing cuts in water supply. The area, which mainly consists of chawls and housing societies, faces the issue due to corroded pipelines, increased population and use of pumps privately.

Pipes corroded in 7 sectors

There are nine sectors in Charkop, out of which Sectors 1 and 2 come under R South ward and the rest are under R central ward. The population has increased manifold in the past three decades. Residents claim that while the BMC replaced the water pipelines in Sectors 1 and 2 with those with double capacity, the other sectors have the same old, corroded pipes.

Dr Shankar Jamsandekar, a resident of Sector 5, said they have written to the ward office, former corporator Sandhya Doshi and MLA Sunil Rane many times, but the issue hasn't been resolved yet.

"Our pipelines were laid around 40 years ago in 1984. The population has increased manifold since and the many towers built in the vicinity have increased the demand for water. Though pipelines in Sectors 1 and 2 which come under R south ward were replaced two years back by those with double capacity, we are still waiting for such pipes," said Jamsandekar.

Chandrakant Sawant, a resident of Sector 7, said that they have been complaining about the water supply issue to the administration as well as local MLA and corporators.

"The ward officials come and check the pipelines/metres but it doesn't solve the issue. The pipelines with smaller diameter were laid in 1989 and need to change now in accordance with the population and demand for water. We are now going to write to BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, the chief minister and deputy chief ministers, seeking to resolve the issue," said Sawant.

Pumps affecting flow of water

"We receive complaints from all sectors of Charkop regularly. But at ward level, we can only check the lines and metres. The executive engineer of the hydraulic department from the ward will convey the issue to the engineer of the central hydraulic department as they can change the lines," said Sandhya Nandedkar, assistant commissioner of R Central ward.

She added that there are pumps in many houses which also affect the pressure of water and houses at the end of the line do not get water, but it is not under their purview.

Purushottam Malavade, the chief of the hydraulic engineers department of the BMC, said he is not aware of complaints by residents of Charkop. He added that the area is adjacent to the creek and the lines are 35-40 years old so there may be a need to change the corroded pipelines.

1984
Year the pipelines were laid in the area