Pune: Water Emergency in Nagar Road Area as Bhama-Askhed Project Faces Power Supply Disruption
Vadgaonsheri, 14th December 2023: The Nagar Road area in Pune is experiencing a water emergency as the power supply to the main jack well of the Bhama-Askhed water supply scheme by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) was disrupted. This interruption has led to the cessation of water supply to the Nagar Road area, affecting around one million residents.
The Bhama-Askhed water supply scheme involves lifting water from the Bhama-Askhed dam through a jack well installed at Karanja Vihire village. A power supply substation at this location was impacted when the underground power line, located half a kilometre from the substation to the jack well, experienced an interruption at 10:30 am. Efforts to identify and repair the cable fault continued late into the night.
The PMC is permitted to store 2.62 TMC (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the Bhama-Askhed project, with an allowance to withdraw 200 MLD (million litres per day). However, the current withdrawal rate is 145 MLD. A jack well and a separate substation have been established at Karanja Vihirefor this purpose, connected by a 1.5-kilometre power line.
The power supply disruption occurred in two phases, affecting residents in Yerawada, Kalas, Vishrantwadi, Dhanori, Tingre Nagar, Lohegaon, Kharadi, Nagar Road, Wadgaon Sheri, some parts of Mundhwa, Viman Nagar, Chandan Nagar, and certain sections of Yerawada. These areas are reliant on water from the Bhama-Askhed Dam, and the disruption has prompted residents to seek alternative water sources.
