Residents of the redeveloped BDD Chawls in Mumbai’s Naigaon compound continue to face severe water shortages, seven months after the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) began handing over possession of new apartments. Despite moving into modern two-bedroom flats, thousands of families reportedly receive water for just five to 45 minutes daily.
Residents claim repeated complaints to MHADA and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have failed to produce a lasting solution. They allege that adequate water infrastructure was not established before the new homes were occupied.
“MHADA had sought 3.7 million litres of water for 5,181 residential units in the new Naigaon BDD buildings,” said Sudarshan Bole, vice-president of the residents’ ad hoc housing committee. However, the BMC committed to supplying only 640,000 litres daily to the eight towers covered under the first phase, indicating that additional water would be available after infrastructure upgrades.
A letter issued by the BMC’s hydraulic engineers’ department to MHADA in November 2016 had stated, “The water supply to proposed redevelopment shall be released at the rate of 90 litres per capita per day… As per prevailing norms of 135 litres per capita per day for proposed redevelopment will be made available after strengthening the water main network, if required.”
Residents allege that MHADA proceeded with handing over apartments despite being aware of the supply constraints and facing a deadline to complete the process. When the first batch of homes was handed over in March, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde called it an “advance Gudi Padwa gift”. The continuing shortage, however, has made daily life difficult during the festive season.
MHADA previously arranged water tankers as an interim measure, but residents said deliveries were irregular and insufficient. They claim MHADA has directed them to the BMC, while the civic body has cited the need to strengthen the main pipeline network.
Concerns have also emerged over faulty water meters. “The water meters, installed some months ago, have stopped functioning. Therefore, we do not have accurate data of how much water is being supplied daily,” said Vishal Mohite, another committee member. “We have readings from the initial days showing that we were receiving up to 7,00,000 litres, but supply has since dropped drastically.”
MHADA Mumbai Board chief officer Milind Borikar did not respond to the news agency’s requests for comment.
Source: Hindustan Times
