Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has directed all 15 ward offices to establish 24-hour control rooms to monitor water supply, detect leakages and curb water theft as the city faces the possibility of a water shortage. The order was issued by Mayor Manjusha Nagpure, who has asked the civic administration to conserve available water and improve the response to citizen complaints.
The control rooms will operate round the clock with officials and staff from the water supply, health and disaster management departments. Each ward office has also been instructed to run a 24-hour helpline and a WhatsApp-based grievance redressal system for complaints related to water supply, leakages and tanker requirements.
According to the directions reported by Punekar News, complaints are to be resolved within 24 hours. Special teams will inspect main pipelines, distribution networks and water storage tanks to identify leakages. The administration has also been instructed to take action against unauthorised water connections and water theft.
The measures come as the PMC reviews the limited stock available in the dams supplying Pune. Nagpure has asked officials to take immediate steps to conserve water and ensure equitable supply, including to localities at the farthest ends of the city.
The mayor has also sought restrictions on the use of drinking water for washing vehicles, private construction activities, swimming pools, gardens and road cleaning. The directions state that violators should face penalties and disconnection of their water supply. The supplied report does not specify the penalty amounts or the date on which the restrictions will take effect.
In areas facing shortages, the PMC has been asked to provide free water tankers. It must also regulate rates charged by private tanker operators and prevent the black marketing of water. These instructions place the ward offices at the centre of the response, combining complaint handling, leak detection, enforcement and emergency supply within local administrative units.
The measures also create a reporting requirement for the civic administration. PMC officials have been directed to submit a detailed action-taken report to the mayor’s office within three days. The report is expected to cover the steps taken by the ward offices to monitor supply, address complaints, control unauthorised use and support shortage-hit areas.
