Nagpur’s water shortage concerns have exposed 20 car washing centres using Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s drinking-water network, even as the civic administration has yet to issue penalty orders against the establishments. The findings emerged from surprise inspections conducted across the city on October 26 and 27.
The NMC’s Nuisance Detection Squad and Orange City Water teams inspected 174 car washing centres across 10 municipal zones. According to the inspection report, 20 centres were found drawing water from the civic supply network, while 78 used borewell water and 71 depended on wells. Four centres used tanker water and one reported another source.
Satranjipura recorded the highest number of establishments using NMC water. Eight of the 17 centres inspected in the zone were found using the civic network. Dharampeth followed, with five of 26 centres, while Nehru Nagar recorded four such establishments among 21 inspections. Dhantoli and Lakadganj reported one centre each.
No use of NMC-supplied water was reported among the 13 centres inspected in Laxmi Nagar. The inspection report also recorded no such use at the establishments checked in Hanuman Nagar and Gandhibagh.
The inspections were ordered after Mayor Neeta Thakre and Municipal Commissioner Vipin Itankar directed officials to examine water use at car washing centres and swimming pools. The civic administration had earlier warned that establishments found wasting potable water could face fines of up to Rs 5,000 for each violation. The penalty orders for the 20 centres were still awaited at the time of the report.
The action comes amid concerns over water availability following deficient rainfall and declining reservoir storage. The NMC has said its conservation drive is intended to ensure that treated drinking water remains available for essential domestic needs rather than commercial activities such as vehicle washing.
The inspection figures also show that most of the checked centres reported using sources other than the municipal drinking-water network. However, the findings have placed the focus on how the city monitors commercial water consumption and enforces restrictions during periods of supply pressure. The range of sources recorded by the inspection teams—borewells, wells, tankers and other supplies—also indicates the varied water arrangements used by car washing businesses.
The NMC has listed other measures as part of its conservation effort, including action against illegal water connections, revival of public wells and the use of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes. The next formal step in the case is the issuance of penalty orders against the centres found using NMC water.
