Pipeline connection delayed due to technical difficulties; Hardship for Mumbaikars
Due to the municipal corporation's water pipeline connection work, a large part of Mumbai was left without water on Tuesday. Since Monday morning, cross-connection work had begun to connect a 2,500 millimeter water pipeline to a 3,000 millimeter water pipeline for an underground tunnel shaft. It had already been informed that this work would be completed by 4 p.m. on Tuesday. However, due to technical difficulties, the work continued late into the night, directly affecting the citizens.
In the A, B, C, E, F-South, F-North, L and N wards, not a single drop of water came on Tuesday for the entire day. As many had not stored water, morning activities like bathing, cooking, and washing dishes were all affected. Some spent the day literally without water. In the M-East, M-West and S divisions, water supply was available, but at extremely low pressure. Therefore, even though residents received water, it was of no use.
The situation was even more serious in the eastern suburbs. In Chembur, Kurla, Tilaknagar, Mankhurd, Govandi, and Ghatkopar, the water supply was completely shut off. Residents in these areas had to literally wander in search of drinking water. Some families even had to buy water for cooking. In slum areas, the lack of sufficient tanks made the problem even worse. In Khardevnagar, Subhashnagar, Vashi Naka, Mahul, Panjarapol, and Anushaktinagar, people waited for hours but still did not get water.
Due to the water supply being cut off, there was literally a flood of complaints on the municipal corporation’s headquarters helpline number 9116 from Tuesday morning. Continuous calls asking when the water would be restored kept coming, keeping the staff busy all day. In the afternoon, after a message from the municipal corporation saying ‘the work has been delayed due to technical reasons’ was received on mobile phones, citizens’ anger grew even more. By Tuesday night, uncertainty had arisen over whether the water would come or not.
Working late into the night at a war footing, the connection process was finally completed. It takes at least four to five hours to fill water into the pipeline. Therefore, the municipal water engineering department has informed that from early Wednesday morning, water supply will start smoothly in all areas. Mumbaikars who spent Tuesday without water will finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief today.