A water pipeline burst in front of SFS school, Sadar on Sunday.

NAGPUR: Residents of Mamta Society, Sonegaon, were given new water connections and meters under 24x7 water supply project a year ago. Water bills are also being distributed regularly. But the residents did not get a single drop of water in the last 12 months clearly exposing improper execution by private operator — Orange City Water Private Limited (OCW) and bringing bad name to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation ’s (NMC) ambitious project.

Eight residents of Mamta Society lodged a complaint with the NMC executive engineer, water works department, a couple of days ago. “We were not having household water connections and depended on own wells. OCW laid household water connections and also installed meters in November last. We were told that we will be getting 24x7 water supply. In reality, we are getting water bills only every quarter. We are yet to get a single drop of water,” they said.

The complainants further stated that the bills are issued with zero reading. “We had lodged complaints with the NMC and also OCW twice in the past. This complaint is the third one. Also, NMC and OCW officials must have come to know about no water supply from the zero readings. OCW officials visited our area once and assured to resolve the issue soon, but nothing happened till date,” they said.

The residents are being issued water bills for Rs227 per quarter and also asked to pay it. “All bills raised on us should be set aside. Water supply to our area should be started soon,” they demanded.

An NMC official told TOI that it was a mistake and negligence on part of the OCW. “I visited the area and also discussed the issue with the OCW staffers. Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) or developer of the layout has laid water pipelines. Part of a pipeline is on the premises of one house. Need is to locate the pipeline and place a valve on it. Water supply can be started once the valve is opened. OCW staffers should have convinced the owner of the house or laid a bypass pipeline, but done nothing. I have directed the OCW to submit a proposal in this regard soon,” he said.

A couple of days ago, at a public event, Union minister Nitin Gadkari had slammed the NMC for the inordinate delay in completing the project.

As per the NMC’s data, 48,000 of the total 3.20 lakh households are getting 24x7 water supply. The central and state governments’ deadline to complete the project was March 31, 2012. The deadline of the NMC and OCW was March 1, 2017.

The only work that is all set to be completed is replacement of old network by the new one. Of the total length of 676.10km, work has been completed on 609.66km (90.17%) network.

Household connections is another component of the project. Of the target of 3.20 lakh, work has been completed on 1.75 lakh (54.75%). The delay is likely to increase the project’s cost to a great extent.

Interestingly, corporators and many of the citizens are not happy with the services in the areas where the project has been completed. Corporators from almost all political parties had complained in the general body meetings about improper execution of the project. Also, the project is marred with allegations of various types of irregularities.

OCW spokesperson did not respond to TOI’s messages and email.

