Pune: A major lapse in water billing by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has come to light, leaving several commercial establishments and housing societies shocked by sudden, inflated water bills—some running into lakhs of rupees. These charges are being levied despite the fact that meter readings were not recorded for over a year in many areas, raising questions about the civic body’s accountability and administrative planning.
Under the equitable water supply scheme, PMC has installed around 1.8 lakh water meters across the city. A substantial portion of these cater to commercial properties. However, the water department is critically understaffed, with only 24 meter readers currently employed to cover the entire city. This severe manpower shortage has resulted in erratic and often non-existent meter readings, especially for commercial connections.
Due to the lapse in monthly billing, many businesses did not receive any bills for extended periods—sometimes over a year. Now, they have been handed massive consolidated bills, sparking anger and confusion among consumers.
Residents and business owners argue that they are being penalised for the PMC’s shortcomings. Despite multiple complaints, the civic body has reportedly refused to adjust the bills, citing procedural constraints.
“Why are we being made to pay for their inefficiency? We were not even informed about missed readings,” said Siddhant Mane, a resident from Bavdhan, one of the affected localities.
A glaring example is the DSK Ranwara Society in Bavdhan, which comprises over 500 flats and multiple commercial shops. The society had been receiving monthly bills of around ₹70,000–₹80,000 until last year. However, the commercial connection went unmonitored for months, and now the society has received a lump-sum bill of ₹24 lakh—along with 1% monthly interest on arrears.
“This abrupt and unjust billing has caused panic among residents. We’ve filed a complaint, but there has been no clarity from the PMC,” said Madhuri Deshpande, the society’s secretary.
Currently, of the 83 approved meter reader posts in PMC, 59 are vacant. The situation is worsened by a lack of recruitment and ongoing retirements. Technical positions like fitters and supervisors are also short-staffed, with nearly 50–55 vacancies reported.
Experts believe even the sanctioned number of meter readers falls short of what’s needed to manage the city’s 1.8 lakh connections effectively. They emphasize an immediate expansion of manpower for the system to function as intended.
Meanwhile, PMC officials state that newly installed meters offer more accurate readings, which explains the noticeable increase in water bills. They assure that in cases of suspected meter malfunctions, inspections are being carried out.
“New meters are more accurate, which means consumption is now being properly recorded. This has naturally led to higher charges. We act upon complaints about malfunctioning meters after proper inspections,” explained P. Joshi, Superintending Engineer, Water Department, PMC.
The controversy highlights a critical need for systemic reforms in the PMC’s water billing operations, especially when technological upgrades are not supported by adequate human resources.
