The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has recently annulled a significant regulation requiring developers to submit water supply affidavits for new housing projects. This decision, announced in a circular on Tuesday, has sparked concern among citizens and civic organisations about the potential exacerbation of water scarcity issues in the metropolitan region.
The now-cancelled mandate, which had been in effect since August of the previous year, required developers in the 23 villages recently integrated into municipal limits and those in a 5-kilometre radius outside civic boundaries to provide affidavits ensuring adequate water supply for their projects. The new circular, however, shifts the responsibility for water supply to the respective civic bodies, in line with Urban Development Department guidelines.
The abrupt reversal of this policy has been met with criticism from various quarters. Advocacy groups and legal representatives who have long campaigned for improved water management in Pune’s burgeoning suburbs argue that the removal of the affidavit requirement undermines efforts to monitor and ensure adequate water provision for new developments. Lawyer and activist [Name], who has been involved in public interest litigation regarding water shortages, voiced concerns that this policy shift could further strain the already precarious water supply in densely populated areas governed by Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and PMRDA.
Residents and NGOs have questioned the rationale behind the PMRDA’s decision, suggesting that it promotes unchecked urban expansion without addressing critical infrastructure needs. “The lack of proper urban planning, particularly in terms of water supply, is evident,” [Name] noted. “This move could lead to a proliferation of developments without the necessary basic services, exacerbating the water crisis.”
A senior PMRDA official explained that the decision was driven by instances of developers providing false affidavits. The new circular intends to streamline responsibilities, placing the onus of water supply on the local authorities responsible for the merged villages and surrounding areas. For developments seeking occupancy certificates based on prior water supply assurances, the executive committee will now review and guide further actions, and water supply plans will be prepared by the engineering department. The PMRDA oversees development permissions and occupancy certificates across approximately 814 villages, with 23 now under PMC jurisdiction. The new directive aims to simplify processes for developers while shifting the responsibility for water supply back to municipal authorities, who are expected to meet the needs of these rapidly expanding areas.
