Residents of Ghaziabad’s Vaishali Sector 5 have been struggling with an acute water shortage for the past three days after the roof of an overhead water tank collapsed late Friday night. The incident has disrupted water supply to several residential pockets, leaving more than 10,000 people dependent on tanker water for their daily needs.
According to locals, the tank supplies water to Kamna Apartment, Kalpana Apartment, and parts of Sectors 4 and 5. Since the collapse, normal pipeline supply has remained completely shut.
Tanker Supply Fails to Meet Demand
The municipal corporation has deployed water tankers to manage the situation, but residents say the arrangement is far from adequate. While people living on the ground floor are somehow managing, residents on upper floors are facing severe hardship.
Carrying water manually to first, second, and third floors has become a daily struggle, especially for elderly residents and families with children. Many households have been forced to buy drinking water, adding to their financial burden.
Aging Infrastructure Blamed
Local residents allege that the water tank was over 35 years old and in a dilapidated condition. Despite repeated complaints about its poor state, no major repairs were undertaken.
“This is not a sudden problem. The tank was visibly weak for years, but no preventive action was taken,” said a resident of Kamna Apartment. People have questioned the lack of regular safety audits of such critical infrastructure.
Temporary Measures, No Permanent Solution Yet
On Monday, officials attempted to restore partial supply by bypassing the damaged line and pumping water directly into the network. However, residents fear this will only benefit ground-floor households, as water pressure will remain insufficient for upper floors.
Municipal officials have assured residents that efforts are underway to stabilise the situation and restore supply at the earliest. However, no clear timeline has been given for permanent repairs or reconstruction of the tank.
Residents Demand Accountability
Residents and RWAs have demanded urgent structural repairs, a long-term water supply plan, and accountability from civic authorities. Many have warned that unless a permanent solution is implemented quickly, the crisis could worsen further.
For now, thousands of families in the area continue to wait for regular water supply to resume, relying on tankers and purchased water to meet basic needs.
