Wells dry, no tap water for month, borewells stay idle at Nagpur’s first PMAY
NAGPUR: Around 900 families residing in city’s first housing scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) are facing severe water crisis for the last one month.
Wells as well as drinking water taps have gone dry, making the maiden summer at the housing scheme a nightmare.
Residents are alleging improper planning and inferior quality of works by Nagpur Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) for their woes.
One of the PMAY beneficiaries, Pradeep Chaudhary, told TOI that flat owners are forced to fetch water for drinking and other purposes on vehicles throughout the day while some have hired autorickshaws for the task. “Contrary to expectations of living a comfortable life, we are facing miserable conditions even after purchasing flats by taking loans,” he said.
According to the residents, all the three wells dug by NMRDA have gone dry over a month ago. TOI on September 13, 2022, had reported NMRDA had included parapet of 10 feet while claiming well depth of 40 feet.
The residents also claimed that NMRDA is yet to make the three borewells in the housing society functional.
The beneficiaries also stated that the water made available from Nagpur Municipal Corporation private operator Orange City Water Private Limited is not reaching the underground sumps. “The internal drinking water pipeline laid by NMRDA is at a lower level at the entrance gates and rises higher till it reaches the sumps. It should have been the opposite,” they said.
Chaudhary and other residents alleged that despite submitting letters and making phone calls, none of the NMRDA officials has visited them to resolve the issues. “Despite all paying one-time maintenance charges, NMRDA is yet to establish society of flat owners and hand over the money. In absence of society, it is NMRDA’s responsibility to ensure maintenance of the housing scheme,” they said.NMRDA officials did not respond to TOI’s call and message in the regard.
The authority had constructed 942 flats on khasra no. 62, mouza Tarodi for the first housing scheme of PMAY in the city.
Earlier, TOI had reported about rainwater entering flats during monsoon last year due to shoddy quality of works.
Roads and footpaths, works for laying inter-locking tiles, bridges on nullahs are also incomplete. Despite giving possession of flats a year ago, NMRDA has not brought the sewage treatment plant, community hall, garden and solar power system into use yet.
