Ready for over eight years, Dhayari overhead water tank to finally become operational soon as pipeline work enters last stage

Pune: Residents of parts of Dhayari along Sinhagad Road may soon get relief from persistent water shortages, as work on a crucial pipeline connected to a long-pending overhead water tank has reached its final stage. The civic administration is expected to complete the connection soon, enabling water supply from Wadgaon water works.The residents said they had been waiting for more than eight years for water supply from this tank. Although the structure was constructed in 2017, it remained non-functional due to unfinished supply lines.Activist Mahesh Pokale highlighted the prolonged delays, saying, “There has been a severe water shortage in Dhayari and its surrounding areas. The overhead tank, where pipeline work is now nearing completion, was constructed in 2016-17. It was among the first proposed under the equitable water supply scheme, but progress has been slow. Dependence on water tankers has not decreased. We hope this brings some relief. The tank is expected to supply water from Savitri Garden to Dhayari Phata.”Certain parts of Dhayari had been under the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) jurisdiction since late 90s, while the remaining areas were brought under the civic limits in 2017. The locality, however, continued to face a water crisis caused by an inadequate distribution network, causing the residents to increasingly depend on water tankers.Several localities in the Dhayari-Narhe-Khadakwasla belt also witnessed an outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in early 2025, with contaminated water identified as a major contributing factor. While the overhead tank is set to become operational, it will not directly serve the GBS-affected pockets. Civic officials said broader measures were under way to improve water supply across the region. The Union govt had recently sanctioned a Rs 890-crore project aimed at augmenting water supply and ensuring purified water in the affected areas.Resident Vivek Shelar said the completion of a single overhead tank would not fully resolve the issue. “We want the civic administration to expedite the Rs 890-crore project, which includes more overhead tanks and a water purification plant. Many residents still rely on well water, where contamination remains a serious concern,” he said.Officials from PMC’s water supply department said work on overhead tanks under the equitable water supply scheme had been accelerated in older parts of the city, with similar projects planned in 34 merged areas.Pipeline work completed in BMCC Road areaThe civic administration has completed key water pipeline works in the BMCC and Fergusson College (FC) Road areas to improve water supply in pockets along Bhandarkar Road, FC Road, BMCC Road and Apte Road.Local corporator Sunil Pande said the project had been pending for a long time due to incomplete critical joints. “Now that the work is complete, water pressure should improve. We will monitor the situation over the next few days and provide feedback to the administration,” he said.