The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will conduct a survey of the existing underground water pipelines in residential colonies of the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (MHADA).

The state government recently issued a directive to the BMC for taking up development works of existing infrastructure and civic amenities like sewage networks, water supply pipelines, and roads in several MHADA colonies.

Senior BMC officials said most MHADA layouts are older than 50 years. So these clusters are frequently facing water crises on a regular basis. The official said there are more than 50 such clusters in the island city and suburban belt and repair works will be carried out in a phased manner.

"Over the past many decades, the demography and population of most of these areas have changed. As a result, the demand for better water supply has also increased," said the official.

"At present, the plan is to identify the pockets from where water supply issues are being reported. We will then analyse the nature of the pipelines and may consider replacing them with pipelines of larger diameter," said the official, adding that a cost estimate would be readied in the end.

A senior BJP corporator and spokesperson of the party in the BMC, Bhalchandra Shirsat said that earlier the civic body used to provide all amenities in MHADA layouts. However, the procedure stopped after the state government made MHADA the planning authority.

"We support the decision and it has been cleared by the standing committee. Those living in MHADA areas have been deprived of basic facilities for many years, and the BMC should take up the job of providing them better amenities," Shirsat told this newspaper.

A BJP corporator from Kandivali, Kamlesh Yadav said he has already raised this issue multiple times during the BMC committee meetings. "The BMC has already issued tenders for carrying out repair works for water supply in multiple MHADA areas," Yadav said.