A drinking-water pipeline leak near the Panchvati main entrance junction in Pune’s Pashan area has created a large pool on the road, increased the risk of two-wheeler accidents and led residents to demand immediate repairs, according to a report by Sakal – Pune published on October 10.
The leak, which has reportedly continued for several days beneath the pedestrian pathway, has resulted in water collecting across an area of about 500 square feet outside the gate of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), the report said. The water is also flowing towards the main entrance of the NCL Innovation Park.
The continuous flow has caused moss to accumulate on the road, making the surface slippery for motorists and pedestrians. Residents told Sakal that two-wheelers have been skidding on the affected stretch and that accidents have increased. Vehicles passing through the accumulated water are also splashing pedestrians, students and other road users, resulting in daily disputes in the area.
Residents submitted a representation to the deputy engineer of the Chaturshringi water-supply department, seeking urgent action to stop the loss of treated drinking water. They warned that a protest would be held if the leakage was not stopped within 48 hours after the department completed its ongoing testing work.
The affected pipeline is several years old and has been supplying water to the NCL campus, even after a separate water tank was built for the Panchvati area. According to Anup Gajawar, a junior engineer with the Chaturshringi water-supply department, NCL has been receiving about five lakh litres of water daily through the old pipeline.
Gajawar said a new pipeline has now been laid in the area and that testing work is under way. The department’s response indicates that the leak is connected to the transition between the old supply arrangement and the newly installed pipeline, although the report does not state when the repair or switchover will be completed.
The incident has exposed two linked problems on a busy urban road: the loss of treated water from ageing distribution infrastructure and the safety consequences of allowing a leak to continue in a pedestrian and traffic zone. The water is not only being lost before reaching users but is also changing the condition of the road surface around major institutional entrances.
Mohini Sapkal, a resident, questioned the contrast between public appeals to conserve water and the continued wastage of drinking water on the road. Her comments came as residents pressed the municipal water-supply department for a time-bound intervention.
The Chaturshringi water-supply department is expected to complete testing of the new pipeline and address the leakage within the timeline communicated to residents. The next stated milestone is the completion of the testing work and the stopping of the flow within 48 hours.
