Special Correspondent
Pune: Police officers and their families living in the Pune City Police Housing Colony at Shivajinagar are facing a growing crisis after the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) cut off power to the quarters due to unpaid electricity bills amounting to Rs 34 lakh. With no water supply for the past two days, residents are now at risk of losing access to lifts as well.
The housing colony, which consists of two 22-storey buildings named Rajgad and Shivneri, is located near the police headquarters. Power was disconnected on Friday, and water supply has already stopped. The electricity bills for common areas, water supply, and lifts were supposed to be paid by the Police Commissioner’s Office, but due to a lack of funds, the bills remain unpaid.
Families, especially women, are facing significant hardships.
Without water, residents have to manually carry water from the ground floor, and police personnel who work long hours are unable to cope with the added burden. “We work for more than 12 hours a day, and now we come home to these crises. Our children’s exams are approaching, and everything is chaotic at home,” shared an anonymous police officer, speaking about the struggle faced by the families. “Every month, a portion of our salary is deducted for the housing benefits, but we are still left without basic utilities.”
MSEDCL has confirmed that they have repeatedly followed up with the Police Commissioner’s Office about the unpaid bills. An MSEDCL officer stated, “We issued several letters, but there was no response. We had no option but to cut off the supply. We haven’t cut the power to the lift yet, but if no action is taken, we will have to follow through.”
