Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is set to address the long-standing water crisis in the Sus-Mahalunge area by constructing six overhead water tanks. Since the merger of the 34 new villages with the PMC, the region has been heavily reliant on tanker water supply. The construction of these water tanks is part of the 24×7 water supply scheme, which was conceptualized prior to the merger.
Out of the six tanks, two will be located in Sus and four in Mahalunge. The PMC water supply department has already acquired the necessary spaces for the tanks, and an estimated cost of Rs26 crores will be allocated for their construction.
The existing Mahalunge water tank has a capacity of four-and-a-half lakh MLD, while the Sus water tank can hold 2.50 lakh MLD water. However, due to their limited storage capacity, additional tanks are urgently needed to meet the increasing water demand in the area. Currently, the residents rely on 75 water tanker trips per day for their water supply. The construction of these six water tanks will significantly reduce the burden on water tankers and provide a more reliable water source to the residents.
Once completed within the next two years, the six overhead tanks will have a combined storage capacity of 1.40 crore MLD, which is twenty times more than the existing capacity.
To initiate the project, PMC appointed a consultant to prepare a detailed project report (DPR). The first phase of implementation commenced in Bavdhan, Sus, and Mahalunge, with the construction of these water tanks being an integral part of the scheme. PMC is currently working on expediting the necessary approvals to ensure the early construction of these tanks, given the mounting criticism from residents and courts regarding the lack of essential amenities.
Santosh Narayan, a social activist from Mahalunge, emphasized the urgent need for water infrastructure in the rapidly developing area. He called for a substantial portion of property taxes to be allocated toward water-related projects to mitigate the challenges faced by citizens due to inadequate planning in the past.
Former corporator Amol Balwadkar has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) on behalf of housing society members in Sus and Mahalunge, seeking a resolution to the water problems faced by residents. The petition highlights the PMC’s failure to address the severity of the water scarcity issue in the area.
With the construction of these six overhead water tanks, the PMC aims to improve water accessibility and ensure a more sustainable and reliable water supply for the residents of Sus and Mahalunge.
