Pune: PMRDA Transfers Water Supply Responsibility to Municipalities; Eases Construction Approvals Amid Political Speculation
Pune: The Pune Metropolitan Region Development Authority (PMRDA) has made a significant amendment to its regulations, shifting the responsibility of water supply from developers to the concerned municipalities for new construction projects. This move, while relieving builders, has sparked controversy, particularly regarding its timing ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.
For years, developers under PMRDA’s jurisdiction were required to ensure an adequate water supply before obtaining construction permissions. This requirement often led to delays, especially in rapidly growing areas within the 242 villages included in the PMRDA region. These villages, many of which are part of the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal limits, have seen a surge in housing projects, yet sustainable water supply remains a persistent issue.
With the new directive issued by PMRDA Commissioner Dr. Yogesh Mhase, the responsibility of water provision has been reassigned to the respective municipal corporations and municipalities. This change affects rural areas within a 5-kilometre radius of municipal boundaries, including 23 villages newly incorporated into the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). The revised rule aims to streamline the approval process for development projects by requiring a water supply certificate from the competent public authority, as per the Development Control and Promotion Regulations 2018.
This decision is expected to benefit not only construction companies but also thousands of residents in these rapidly urbanising villages. However, it also raises questions about the capacity of municipal bodies to meet this new demand. The Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporations, which are already grappling with water supply challenges—particularly in Pimpri Chinchwad, where water is supplied every alternate day—are now tasked with extending their services to these newly developing areas.
One of the primary concerns is that the PMC has not yet expanded its water supply infrastructure to cover the newly included villages and those within a 5-kilometre radius of the city’s borders. Despite receiving around 20 TMC of water from the Water Resources Department, the municipal corporation’s ability to issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) for new housing projects is in doubt. This raises the possibility of developers facing new problems in securing construction approvals, as they may have to queue up at the municipal corporation’s water supply department to obtain the necessary certifications.
The timing of this decision has also fuelled speculation in political circles. There is a growing perception that the government, through PMRDA, has made this regulatory change to benefit construction developers, who are known to provide substantial financial support to political parties during election periods. Critics argue that this move could be seen as an effort to placate builders ahead of the assembly elections, potentially at the expense of the broader public interest.
The discussion around this decision is particularly intense given that the state government has not increased the water quota despite Pune’s population reaching 6 million. With both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad already facing significant water supply issues, the decision to transfer the responsibility for water provision to municipal bodies could exacerbate the challenges for nearly 10 million residents.
Furthermore, while the PMRDA’s decision is aimed at removing obstacles for construction approvals in the 242 villages under its jurisdiction, it may lead to new complications if the municipal corporations are unable to meet the increased demand for water supply. As developers scramble to obtain the necessary NOCs, there is a growing concern that this could lead to further delays and complications in the approval process.
