Water Cut in South Pune Cancelled a Day After Implementation Following Public Opposition

Pune, 6th May 2025: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has withdrawn its decision to impose a weekly water cut in parts of South Pune just a day after it was implemented, following strong opposition from residents and political leaders. Regular water supply will resume from Wednesday, officials confirmed.

The cancellation came after Pune Municipal Commissioner Dr. Rajendra Bhosale reviewed the water situation and instructed the Water Supply Department to immediately halt the cuts. The move had initially affected areas dependent on the Vadgaon Water Purification Center, including Dhayari, Suncity, Vadgaon Budruk, Hingne, Sahakarnagar, Dhankawadi, Balajinagar, Ambegaon Pathar, Dattanagar, Santoshnagar, Bharati Vidyapeeth area, Agam Mandir, Katraj, and Kondhwa Budruk.

The water cut was introduced on Monday as part of a rotational one-day-a-week supply suspension due to the growing demand on the Vadgaon facility. However, the sudden disruption sparked backlash from citizens, who claimed it was unnecessary given the current water levels.

Despite dams in the region being 100% full after a strong monsoon last year, critics argued that the PMC’s move reflected poor planning and mismanagement of water distribution. Many residents complained that even a single day of water cut affected supply for the next two to three days, causing significant inconvenience.

Political leaders also intervened. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Bhimrao Tapkir demanded that the PMC roll back the decision, citing adequate water availability and public discomfort.

Speaking on the issue, Nandkishore Jagtap, Head of the PMC Water Supply Department, said, “After discussions with the Commissioner and a review of the current water levels and the projected duration of the monsoon, the water cut has been cancelled.”

Jagtap acknowledged that the area and population dependent on the Vadgaon Water Purification Center have increased significantly, and said that long-term solutions will be explored in consultation with the Water Resources Department and Mahavitaran (MSEDCL).