Gaya: At least 23 of the 53 wards of the Gaya Municipal Corporation (GMC) continue to face a drinking water crisis due to incomplete pipeline expansion works and pending water supply projects.At a review meeting with officials of the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (Buidco) on Saturday, mayor Virendra Kumar, alias Ganesh Paswan, and municipal commissioner Gagan Kumar pulled up Buidco officials and directed them to complete all pending projects at the earliest.The councillors highlighted drinking water shortages, incomplete pipeline expansion works and irregular water supply in ward numbers 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 25 to 35, 40, 41, 44 and 51. Councillor of ward number 32 Gajendra Singh said a water supply project worth around Rs1 crore at Asha Singh Mor had not started because a contractor was yet to be appointed despite administrative approval.Councillors from ward numbers 4, 5 and 6 — Anupama Kumari, Jai Prakash Singh and Rafiya Ghazala, respectively — demanded the construction of an additional overhead water tank, stating that the existing infrastructure was inadequate to meet local water supply demand. Iram Kahkashan, councillor of ward number 35, said nearly 75% of the ward continued to face water scarcity despite repeated complaints.Expressing strong displeasure over the situation, the mayor said it was unacceptable that residents were struggling for the basic necessity of drinking water. He criticised Buidco for delays in completing pipeline expansion projects.