Pune’s water cut could double from 10% to 20% after concerns over declining storage in the dams supplying the city, with the Pune Municipal Corporation set to consult political party leaders and irrigation officials before taking a final decision.
Mayor Manjusha Nagpure has asked Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram to convene a meeting of group leaders from all political parties on October 28 to discuss the proposed increase. She has also suggested inviting officials from the irrigation department to explain the city’s available water stocks and supply position.
The PMC currently enforces a 10% water cut across Pune. Under the existing arrangement, the city faces a complete water supply shutdown every Thursday. The measure came into effect on October 15 following directions to reduce consumption because of limited water stocks in the dams supplying Pune.
The proposed 20% reduction would therefore represent a doubling of the current cut, although the report does not specify how the additional reduction would be distributed across neighbourhoods, whether supply timings would change, or whether the weekly shutdown would be revised. These details are expected to be considered during consultations with municipal and irrigation officials.
The issue gained urgency after Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi held a meeting on Thursday and directed local self-government bodies across the district to plan for a 20% reduction in water consumption. The direction was issued to help ensure that available water lasts longer, according to the report.
The proposal was subsequently raised during a PMC general body meeting, where Nagpure called for the all-party consultation. The proposed meeting will bring political representatives into discussions on the city’s water availability and the operational consequences of a higher cut.
Pune’s water distribution is managed through a system that links municipal supply operations with water availability in the dams and decisions involving district and irrigation authorities. The current sequence of meetings indicates that the proposed increase is being considered as a supply-management response to falling storage rather than as an already approved citywide measure.
For residents, the immediate confirmed position remains a 10% water cut and a full shutdown every Thursday. A 20% cut has been proposed but has not yet been finalised. The effect on households, commercial establishments and local self-government bodies will depend on the final schedule and implementation plan approved by the authorities.
The all-party meeting is scheduled for October 28. A final decision on increasing the water cut will be taken after consultations with officials and representatives of political parties.
