Pune Municipal Corporation’s proposed OTP-based water tanker system remains unimplemented six months after it was announced, with the civic body now saying the tendering process will begin only after the model code of conduct ends. The delay has kept residents dependent on a tanker supply system that the project was intended to make more transparent and accountable.
The proposed system is designed to prevent fake tanker trips, water theft, diversion of water and possible overcharging of citizens. Under the mechanism, residents would book tankers through a mobile application, while each vehicle would be tracked from the filling station to the delivery point.
After the water is delivered, the resident would receive a one-time password on their mobile phone to confirm the transaction. The digital record of the booking, tanker movement and delivery confirmation is intended to help the PMC verify whether a trip actually took place and whether the water reached the designated destination.
Nandkishore Jagtap, head of the PMC’s water supply department, confirmed that the system had not yet been introduced across the city. He said the civic body would initiate the tendering process after the model code of conduct ends and work towards implementing the system at the earliest.
Jagtap said the proposed arrangement would operate on lines similar to ride-hailing platforms such as Ola and Uber, allowing residents to book tankers digitally and track their movement until delivery. The OTP-based confirmation, he added, would help prevent water theft and the recording of fake trips.
The delay has raised concerns because demand for private tankers could increase if water cuts are imposed in the coming months. Residents awaiting a formal monitoring mechanism may face higher costs if tanker demand rises without a system to verify trips, delivery quantities and charges.
Sajag Nagrik Manch has claimed that the system is yet to be implemented in most parts of Pune, apart from the Sus and Mahalunge areas. Activist Vivek Velankar questioned why the city-wide rollout had not taken place six months after the announcement and demanded that the PMC implement the system without further delay.
The proposed platform is intended to address weaknesses in tanker-based water distribution, where residents may have limited visibility over the source of water, the route taken by a vehicle or whether a booked trip was completed. However, the PMC has not yet announced a city-wide implementation date. The immediate next step is the start of the tendering process after the model code of conduct ends.
