Pune left with 7.15 TMC till June 2027 after canal panel cut; alternate-day water likely after Diwali

Pune is likely to get water only on alternate days once Diwali is over. The canal committee has left the city with 7.15 TMC to last until June 30, 2027, and civic officials say the stock cannot meet demand.

The decision came at a canal committee meeting held on Thursday. Sunetra Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister and Pune's Guardian Minister, presided. With her were Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, and Dattatray Bharne, the state's Agriculture Minister.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been given 13.5 TMC in all. About 6.35 TMC of that has been drawn since July 1, which leaves 7.15 TMC for the remaining months. One report put the figure at a rounded 7 TMC, but the more detailed account of the meeting gives 7.15 TMC, and that is the number that stands. A further 10 per cent of the available water has been kept aside as an emergency buffer, so the usable stock is smaller still.

Some confusion remains over the quota itself. Officials have spoken of a 13 TMC allocation for Pune, and it is unclear whether it runs from November 1, 2026, or covers the whole stretch from July 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027. The city's annual need has risen to 22 TMC, and it is being offered 13 TMC for the year.

The gap is wide. After new villages were brought into the corporation, Pune had been cleared for 16.50 TMC a year. The population has since grown to about 80 lakh. The PMC needs roughly 1.65 TMC every month, and its yearly requirement is above 20 TMC. The Khadakwasla dam series holds about 24 TMC at present, but a large part of that, about 17 TMC by one estimate, is earmarked for farming, rural and downstream drinking water, evaporation and seepage. Uncertainty over the rains has made planning harder.

PMC Additional Commissioner Pawneet Kaur acknowledged the shortfall between what is available and what the city actually needs. She said cuts are unavoidable and alternate-day supply may have to be introduced. A final call will be taken only after the proposal is discussed with the Mayor and leaders of all parties. She also hinted that some of the corporation's capital works may be reviewed or scaled down because of the shortage. Large projects in the budget include the High Capacity Mass Transit Route (HCMTR) and flyovers. Under a rotation plan, different parts of the city would receive water on different days, which could upset daily routines as summer approaches.

Opposition leaders have criticised the allocation. They say Pune did not get its fair share and that no MLA from the city raised an objection at the meeting. According to one account, only three MLAs from the city were present and the Mayor did not attend, which they say shows the city's growing needs were not put forward properly. They also accuse BJP leaders and workers, who agitated against water cuts when in opposition, of staying silent now. The same account says the meeting once more treated urban and rural areas unequally, and that the cut was made on the state government's orders even though the state is facing drought conditions.

The Water Resources Department and the PMC have long been at odds over how much water Khadakwasla should send to the city, how much the city needs, and the crores of rupees the corporation owes the department.

Standing Committee Chairman Shrinath Bhimale said drinking water must come first. He told reporters that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would be met and the facts placed before him so that Pune's people get water.

The PMC must now draw up a plan to spread the water fairly across the city and, as far as possible, deliver it at equal pressure everywhere. Officials say cutting consumption, stopping leakages and public cooperation will matter in making the remaining stock last.