The Pune civic administration on Friday revised the much-criticized alternate-day water supply schedule in parts of Shivajinagar, Model Colony, Gokhalenagar, and Fergusson College Road. The earlier evening-to-midnight timing has been replaced with two slots: 10 am to 3 pm and 3:15 pm to 10 pm, aiming to better align with residents' daily routines.
This marks the first official adjustment to the alternate-day supply schedule since its implementation. While residents welcomed the change, their relief was tempered with realism. Dinesh Mahale, a resident of Shivajinagar, stated, “After changes in the supply schedule, the administration must improve water pressure. Otherwise, the problems will worsen. The supply lines should be cleaned to remove obstructions.”
Frustration had been quietly building among residents since the supply cuts began on Monday due to erratic and poorly timed water supply, with many forced to stay up late into the night to fill their quota. Pravin Dongare, a resident of Gokhalenagar, said, “The earlier water supply timings were inconvenient for people who leave for work in the morning. In areas like Janwadi, many families lack storage facilities and rely on daily water supply.”
A section of residents expressed that delays in restoring supply after the shutdown remained a source of anxiety. Vijay Tambe, a Baner resident, noted, “Water pressure has reduced and supply schedules are not being followed diligently. The administration should provide water at full pressure for at least two hours every day to fill water storage tanks.”
Officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation's water supply department stated that the system is under constant scrutiny. “Monitoring is on and adjustments will continue wherever cracks emerge,” an official said, signaling that more changes could be on the horizon.
However, the administration faces a logistical challenge that cannot be easily overcome. “Everybody demands water during the morning hours, but fulfilling it across all areas is simply not feasible. Supply has to be staggered to avoid chaos,” another official explained.
The officials maintained that the system has been “largely smooth” despite these constraints, with disruptions mostly limited to technical glitches or line blockages. “Dedicated teams are now working to address complaints of low pressure and delayed restoration,” one of them added.
