Pune: London-Made Robot Detects 40 Illegal Water Connections in Vadgaon Sheri Pipeline
Vadgaon Sheri, 7th October 2025: A robot imported from London by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to detect illegal water connections and leakages created a stir in Vadgaon Sheri on Tuesday after uncovering 40 unauthorised connections inside a major water pipeline.
The robot was deployed inside the 500-millimeter-diameter main water line at Ganesh Nagar, which supplies water to the entire Vadgaon Sheri area. It travelled nearly 300 meters through the underground pipeline, identifying numerous illegal taps and two leakage points during its inspection. This marks the first time such robotic technology has been used in Vadgaon Sheri to identify illegal water connections.
Officials from the PMC’s Water Supply Department, including Superintending Engineer Virendra Kelkar, Executive Engineer Eknath Gadekar, and Junior Engineers Nitin Jadhav, Ravindra Wankhede, and Ramdas Adari, conducted the operation.
The inspection was carried out near Anand Park, where the water pipeline was excavated to insert the robot. The findings confirmed long-standing complaints of low water pressure, irregular supply, and contamination in the area — all caused by the illegal tapping of the main pipeline.
Executive Engineer Eknath Gadekar said, “We had tried several times to locate the source of the leakage but were unsuccessful. These illegal water connections were allowing nearby sewage water to enter the main pipeline, leading to contaminated water being supplied to homes.”
Superintending Engineer Virendra Kelkar added, “The robot helps us accurately locate leakages, cracks, illegal connections, and even blockages within the pipeline. It saves both time and manpower. The 40 illegal connections identified today will now be removed.”
Officials noted that many of the illegal connections were installed nearly four meters underground, with some extending deep enough to obstruct the robot’s movement.
How the London Robot Works
The robot is equipped with four wheels, a high-resolution camera, and LED lights. Once inserted into the water pipeline, it captures 360-degree visuals that are displayed live on a monitor, enabling engineers to pinpoint exact problem locations. After inspection, the robot can reverse itself automatically and exit the pipe using remote commands.
PMC officials said the successful use of this advanced inspection robot will pave the way for similar operations across other parts of Pune to tackle water theft and contamination issues more effectively.
