Pune VIDEO: Residents Block Pimpri-Chinchwad's Spine Road After Dirty Water Enters Drinking Water Tanks In Chikhali Gharkul

Pimpri-Chinchwad: Hundreds of residents from the Gharkul area in Chikhali staged a road blockade on Spine Road on Wednesday morning after dirty rainwater entered underground drinking water tanks in several housing societies. The protest also highlighted frequent power cuts and severe waterlogging caused by continuous heavy rainfall over the past three days.

The protest blocked traffic for nearly an hour and led to long queues of vehicles on both sides of Spine Road. Thousands of commuters travelling towards the Bhosari and Chikhali MIDC areas were affected.

The Gharkul area has more than 50 housing societies and is located in a low-lying area. Residents said two to three feet of rainwater had collected inside the society premises after continuous rainfall. They alleged that the stagnant water, mixed with sewage and mud, entered underground drinking water tanks, raising serious health concerns. They also complained of repeated power outages over the past two days.

After receiving information about the protest, Chikhali police and officials from the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) reached the spot. The residents asked the officials to inspect the flooded societies and the affected drinking water tanks.

The civic officials assured residents that suction pumps would be deployed immediately to remove the stagnant water. They also promised to clean the drinking water tanks, supply safe drinking water through tankers, and restore the power supply.

Following the assurance, the residents withdrew the protest after about an hour. Traffic on Spine Road gradually returned to normal.

The residents, however, demanded a permanent solution to the recurring flooding and drainage problems in the Gharkul area, saying they face the same issues every monsoon.