After years of tanker dependence, PMC water finally reaches Mohammed Wadi society
Residents of Ganga Florentina in Pune celebrated a major milestone as civic water finally reached their taps, ending a ten-year reliance on daily private tankers.
Homebuyers in the area were promised PMC water connections as early as 2017, but the project remained stalled for years due to pending connectivity issues linked to the Katraj water line. Written by Nilambari Salunke
For years, residents in Mohammed Wadi, Undri, NIBM and nearby localities watched water tankers line up outside their society gates every morning, a routine that had quietly become part of daily life in some of Pune’s fastest-growing residential pockets. On Wednesday afternoon, that finally changed.
Water from the Mohammed Wadi overhead water tank reached Ganga Florentina society for the first time on Wednesday, nearly a decade after residents first moved into the area and years after promises of a regular PMC water connection were made.
Though Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated the project last week, the first actual supply reached the society only on Wednesday as civic officials began flushing pipelines and conducting chlorine and quality tests.
“For the last ten years, we were waiting for this like devotees awaiting a blessing,” said Vijay Dalvi (61), a retired GM Plantation officer and agronomist residing at Ganga Florentina. “People were extremely happy.”
Residents said the supply is currently under trial phase and the water is yet to be declared potable. Authorities have advised societies to wait a few days before using it for drinking purposes.
“Right now they are cleaning the pipelines because the pipes were laid a few years ago,” said Victor Papabatini (72), a retired Tata Motors employee. “Once they complete chlorine testing and confirm the water is potable, we can begin using it for drinking.”
Papabatini said homebuyers in the area were promised PMC water connections as early as 2017, but the project remained stalled for years due to pending connectivity issues linked to the Katraj water line.
Another resident, Surendra Nath (69), a retired finance services employee, said families had spent years purchasing water for both drinking and domestic use. “At least after waiting for eight to ten years, we finally got the connection,” he said.
Residents said the coming weeks would determine whether the supply remains regular and sufficient once more societies are connected to the network. Bharat Kumawat (48), a software engineer residing in the society, said residents were hopeful the supply would remain consistent for at least a few hours daily. “If we get water for three to four hours every day, it should be sufficient for now,” he said.
Florentina is among the first societies in the Mohammed Wadi-Anandvan belt to receive water from the overhead tank, while nearby societies are expected to be connected in the coming days.
(Nilambari Salunke is an intern with The Indian Express)
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