PMC tweaks supply timings in parts of city, revision likely in more areas

Pune: The civic administration on Friday tweaked the much-criticised alternate-day water schedule in parts of Shivajinagar, Model Colony, Gokhalenagar and Fergusson College Road, replacing the earlier evening-to-midnight timing with 10am-3pm and 3.15pm-10pm slots to better match daily routines.This marks the first official tweak in alternate-day supply schedule. While the residents welcomed the shift, their relief was tempered with realism. Dinesh Mahale of Shivajinagar said, “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 the residents since the supply cuts began on Monday because of erratic, 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 said delays in restoring supply after the shutdown were still a source of anxiety. Baner resident Vijay Tambe said, “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 PMC’s water supply department said the system was under constant scrutiny. “Monitoring is on and adjustments will continue wherever cracks emerge,” an official said, signalling that more changes could be on the horizon.Yet, the administration faces a logistical challenge it cannot 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 said.The officials maintained that the system had 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 said.