Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 23: Lakhs of residents across Thane district and neighbouring Raigad are set to face water supply disruptions following a 36-hour shutdown announced by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). The interruption is expected to affect Thane city, Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Taloja until Saturday afternoon.

The shutdown follows MIDC’s decision to suspend water supply from its Jambhul Water Purification Centre. The affected cities and residential areas depend on MIDC for part of their water supply, raising concerns over household shortages and increased spending on water tankers.

A Thane civic official said the shutdown was a precautionary measure amid concerns over the early and relatively weak withdrawal of the monsoon and the possible impact of El Niño. With Maharashtra potentially facing a challenging water-scarce year, the disruption has heightened concerns about prolonged shortages in the coming months.

In Thane city, the affected areas include Diva, Kalwa, parts of Mumbra, Majiwada-Manpada and Wagle wards. Kalyan-Dombivli, Ulhasnagar and Badlapur will also be affected, along with the entire Taloja node in neighbouring Raigad district.

The Thane civic body may attempt to ease the impact by diverting water from alternative sources, including STEM, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and its own distribution network. However, it remains uncertain how far these sources can compensate for the suspended supply.

Residents are particularly concerned about the duration of the disruption amid existing irregularities in water supply. The extension of the weekly shutdown from 24 hours to 36 hours has raised fears that some households could experience interruptions lasting nearly three days.