Pune: The residents in Kharadi intensified their protests against the water crisis, which led to an indefinite chain hunger strike that began on 1st May 2026. The protest was led by the Kharadi Housing Societies Welfare Association (KHSWA), which has over 50 housing societies representing roughly 25,000–30,000 residents who staged a protest demanding immediate and permanent solutions from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
During the protest, residents collectively raised several critical concerns. They pointed out an insufficient PMC water supply despite regular payment of property and water taxes. They also highlighted unplanned urban growth, with large-scale residential and commercial developments being approved without any upgrades in water infrastructure.
Sumit Dusad, a resident of Kharadi, said, "We are facing the double burden of high property taxes and rising maintenance costs, yet we continue to struggle with inadequate water supply. Access to water is our basic right and not a privilege. Immediate action and accountability from the authorities are needed.
Pravin Zore, a resident of Forest County society, said, "The shortage has led to a sharp rise in maintenance expenses, with monthly costs increasing by 50 to 80% due to tanker dependency. He urged the civic body to ensure a reliable, consistent water supply.
Pritam Singh from Riverdale Heights Society said, “PMC has been giving water connections and regular supply to commercial establishments, but our residential society, with over 550 families, is still struggling for basic water access. For almost the last six years, we have not received even 4,000 litres of PMC water regularly, whereas our approved requirement and PMC quota are more than 2.5 lakh litres per day. Because of this failure, residents are forced to spend huge amounts every month on private water tankers for a necessity that should have been provided by the administration.” He further added,
‘Protest Against Years Of Neglect…’
“This protest was not against any individual officer but against years of neglect faced by Kharadi residents. PMC officials have now given assurances and timelines, and we hope concrete action will finally be taken on the ground. Citizens are exhausted after paying both property tax and tanker costs simultaneously for years.”
Many residents even expressed frustration over repeated assurances from authorities without any concrete, time-bound resolution. Another key demand of the residents is the immediate formation of a joint coordination committee comprising PMC officials and representatives from housing societies to ensure regular monitoring and faster resolution of issues.
PMC Assures Residents…
Following the protest, the civic body on Saturday assured the residents that the issues would be resolved at the earliest, and PMC officials outlined a three-point action plan. As per the plan, three water tanks in Survey No. 58 will be filled to full capacity within 15 days.
Additionally, the overhead water tank in Survey No. 38 is expected to become operational within a month, before the end of May 2026, which will help boost water supply to nearby areas.
Officials also announced the immediate commencement of a comprehensive survey to design a piped water supply system across Kharadi. Based on the findings, a long-term water distribution plan will be prepared and implemented.
