As Hyderabad grapples with a mounting water crisis, the surge in demand for water board tankers paints a stark picture of the city’s dehydrated state.
Between January and March this year, the demand for water tankers skyrocketed, witnessing a staggering rise from 51,000 to 1.18 lakh monthly trips. This surge has persisted into April, with tankers clocking 52,000 trips in just the first 20 days, signalling a distressing trend exacerbated by the forecast of more heatwave days by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) this summer.
The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) reveals that certain areas bear the brunt of this crisis more severely, with S R Nagar, Asif Nagar, Kukatpally, Nizampet, and Ramchandrapuram emerging as the hotspots of tanker demand. Particularly concerning is the surge in bookings from Ramchandrapuram, which logged over 20,000 tanker bookings between April 1 and 18 alone, reflecting the acute nature of the water scarcity. The plummeting groundwater levels further exacerbate the crisis, leading to a sharp uptick in daily tanker bookings, with private tanker managements capitalising on the situation by charging almost triple the rate of the water board. In areas like SR Nagar, the average daily tanker bookings have surged from 900 to 1,200, underscoring the severity of the situation. Groundwater depletion is not merely a localised issue but a city-wide concern, prompting the water board to allocate additional supply to critical areas like the IT corridor. Despite the surge in demand, efforts are underway to expedite tanker deliveries within 12 to 48 hours, with priority given to areas facing acute shortages. As Hyderabad battles with its hydration hassle, concerted efforts are imperative to address the underlying causes of the water crisis and implement sustainable solutions to safeguard the city’s water security in the face of escalating challenges.
