Despite repeated assurances from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) about improvements in water infrastructure, a growing number of city residents continue to rely heavily on water tankers for their daily needs.
Recent data shows that in April 2025, PMC-operated and contracted tankers made 47,836 trips—a sharp increase from 33,643 trips recorded in April 2023, reflecting a 42 percent rise over two years.This growing reliance on water tankers has intensified scrutiny of PMC’s infrastructure claims, especially in newly merged and peripheral zones. The April 2025 numbers include over 1,000 designated trips and 400 emergency dispatches, indicating that the water distribution system is under severe stress during the summer months.
In several neighbourhoods, residents report that despite minor improvements, access to regular tap water remains inadequate. Many housing societies allocate a significant portion of their maintenance budgets to sourcing tanker water. In some areas, civic infrastructure such as overhead tanks has been constructed but remains non-functional due to the absence of connecting pipelines. Without a complete distribution network, the infrastructure serves little purpose, leaving entire communities dependent on expensive tanker services.
In response to rising demand, civic officials stated that tankers are dispatched based on verified need and are subject to stricter control mechanisms introduced earlier this year. Under a revised approval system initiated in March, all emergency water trips must now be authorised by engineers from the water supply department. This move was introduced to curb irregularities in the deployment of water tankers and ensure that civic resources are used efficiently.
Still, citizens have raised concerns over private water tankers operating outside the scope of PMC regulations. With no formal pricing control or accountability, these tankers often charge inconsistent rates, creating an additional financial burden for residents already facing water insecurity. There are increasing demands for private tanker operations to be brought under regulatory oversight and subjected to rate caps and quality checks.
The growing number of tanker trips signals a mismatch between urban expansion and the readiness of basic service infrastructure. Critics argue that approvals for new real estate development should be linked more closely with the availability of essential utilities like water. Without this, the city risks compounding its infrastructure deficit, particularly in areas already struggling with limited public services.As Pune continues to urbanise rapidly, the widening gap between planning and implementation highlights the need for urgent corrective measures. Reliable, equitable, and sustainable access to water is not merely a civic goal—it is a basic necessity. Ensuring this will require not only infrastructure investment but also policy accountability and citizen-centric governance.
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