Pune residents in several neighbourhoods faced water shortages lasting into Saturday after the Pune Municipal Corporation’s scheduled Thursday shutdown was followed by delayed restoration, prompting demands for all-day supply on Fridays and Saturdays and faster repairs to distribution lines.
Residents in parts of the Peth areas, Shivajinagar, Prabhat Road, Aundh, Hadapsar, Kondhwa and Kharadi said water did not return until late Friday evening in some locations. Other pockets received supply only on Saturday morning. Residents also reported low pressure even after supply resumed.
The PMC water supply department said restoration was carried out in phases, with areas at the tail end of the distribution network and those located on higher ground receiving water later than other parts of the city. Officials were investigating complaints on Saturday and examining obstructions and airlocks that may have prevented water from flowing through some lines.
“This was the first water shutdown undertaken in the city this season. We expected to restore supply by the afternoon, but the process was delayed in some areas,” said Nandkishor Jagtap, head of the PMC’s water supply department. He said officials had been instructed to monitor uphill and tail-end pockets closely.
Jagtap said the administration had installed air valves and booster pumps and would add more if required to clear trapped air and improve restoration. Another official from the department said the PMC had taken note of complaints about Friday’s disruption.
Residents said the delay effectively turned a planned shutdown into a two-day interruption. Punit Shetty, a resident of Shivajinagar, said the area normally received water during the morning supply slot, but supply did not resume at the scheduled time on Friday. He called for uninterrupted supply throughout Fridays and Saturdays after shutdowns.
“Citizens are not asking for additional water, but at least an adequate supply at decent pressure should be ensured after the weekly shutdown,” said Anjali Modak, a resident of Sadashiv Peth.
Civic activist Vikram Gaikwad said the PMC should prepare area-wise water supply plans, arguing that managing smaller areas could be more effective than applying the same restoration strategy across larger zones. The episode has also raised concerns among residents about the impact of further reductions in supply.
Pune is currently facing a 10% water cut implemented through a weekly shutdown. Mayor Manjusha Nagpure is likely to convene a meeting of all-party leaders in the PMC during the last week of October, with a meeting expected on October 28, to discuss a proposal to increase the cut to 20%.
A 20% cut would require shutdowns on two days a week. Residents have said an alternate-day supply system would be inconvenient and could make distribution more difficult for the civic administration. The PMC’s next steps include addressing reported obstructions and airlocks and monitoring areas that receive water late because of their elevation or position at the end of the distribution network.
