The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has approved over 200 projects after developers identified alternative water sources beyond the municipal limits. These clearances follow PMC and PCMC's inability to supply water to areas outside their jurisdictions. Developers pledged to obtain water from the Pune Zilla Parishad and Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran. Both PMC and PCMC face water shortages due to rising demand and limited resources, stressing the need for sustainable solutions. PMRDA's approach balances the expansion of infrastructure with resource management, urging developers to secure dependable water sources for sustained growth across the Pune metropolitan area.
The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) approved building permits for over 200 projects after developers secured alternative water sources for areas located beyond a five-kilometre radius from municipal boundaries. This move follows recent declarations by both Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) that they are unable to provide water services to areas outside their jurisdictions. Developers secured water from Pune Zilla Parishad and Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran to meet project requirements, and PMRDA thoroughly reviewed each application to verify the water supply arrangements.
A senior PMRDA official explained that water scarcity remains a persistent challenge for projects across the region, with numerous applications initially on hold due to the lack of an adequate water source. In the face of limited municipal water supply, the PMRDA has implemented a rigorous verification process to ensure all approved projects have reliable water sources. These areas, covering 231 villages, have now received building permissions after developers confirmed sustainable water sources.
Despite the urban development rules obligating PMC and PCMC to supply water within a five-kilometre radius of their boundaries, both corporations highlighted that their current resources cannot meet the additional demand. PMC's letter to PMRDA indicated that it requires 24 TMC of water, which will increase to 26 TMC by 2037, yet the corporation currently receives only 16.36 TMC from the Bhama-Askhed and Khadakwasla dams. Despite facing penalties to secure additional water, PMC remains unable to meet the demands of newly merged city areas, where water supply schemes are underway but expected to take another two to three years for completion.
Similarly, PCMC expressed its limitations, with an estimated population of 3.5 million and a strained water supply that necessitates alternate-day distribution. The municipal body underscored that its resources are inadequate to support outlying regions beyond its existing service area. Instead, it urged PMRDA and local governing bodies to develop their own water supply frameworks to address the expanding demand in their respective areas.
Last month, the PMRDA commissioner issued a circular instructing the corporation to supply water to villages located within a 5 km radius of their boundaries, in accordance with government regulations. However, he noted that, given the water constraints, they could not provide definitive assurances on the total water supply available for future projects.
Local residents, like Bavdhan's Pankhi Upadhyay, remain concerned about the adequacy of these water arrangements, especially given the fluctuating water availability. Nonetheless, PMRDA's decision to approve the projects reflects a strategic response to support urban growth by ensuring developers take responsibility for securing reliable water sources. Through close coordination with state and regional water agencies, PMRDA seeks to uphold development standards while managing resource limitations, striving to accommodate expanding infrastructure needs within the metropolitan area.
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