Pune water supply may be reduced to alternate days after Diwali as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) manages just 7.15 TMC of water for the period until June 2027, according to discussions at a canal committee meeting attended by senior state ministers and civic officials.
The city had been allocated around 13.5 TMC, of which approximately 6.35 TMC has already been used since July 1. The remaining stock must meet Pune’s requirements through the summer, while uncertainty over rainfall has added to the administration’s concerns.
PMC additional commissioner Pavanit Kaur said the gap between Pune’s actual water requirement and the water available to the city could make supply cuts necessary. She indicated that the civic body may implement an alternate-day distribution schedule after Diwali, although a final decision has not yet been taken.
The issue was discussed at a canal committee meeting chaired by deputy chief minister and Pune guardian minister Sunetra Pawar. Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and agriculture minister Dattatray Bharane were also present, according to the report.
The proposed cuts will be discussed with the mayor and leaders of all political parties before the administration reaches a decision. The PMC will then have to prepare a city-wide distribution plan intended to ensure that the available water is shared across different areas.
Officials are also dealing with uncertainty over the period covered by Pune’s allocation. While around 13 TMC has been earmarked for the city, it is not clear whether the quota applies from November 1, 2026, or from July 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027. Officials have said that 6.35 TMC had already been consumed since July 1.
The usable stock is further constrained by a 10 per cent reserve kept aside for emergency requirements. This means that the full balance cannot be treated as immediately available for routine distribution, even as the city approaches the months when demand typically places greater pressure on its water system.
Kaur also indicated that the shortage could lead the civic administration to review or scale down some capital works. The report did not identify the projects that could be affected or specify the value of any possible reductions.
Opposition leaders criticised the allocation, alleging that Pune had been left with inadequate water and that city legislators had not raised objections at the meeting. Their claims were made as the possibility of alternate-day supply emerged, but the final allocation interpretation and distribution schedule remain unresolved.
The PMC is expected to focus on curbing consumption, preventing leakages and securing public cooperation while it manages the remaining stock. The next formal step is consultation with the mayor and political party leaders, followed by a decision on whether and how alternate-day water supply will be introduced.
