Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has witnessed a 50% spike in demand for water tankers. With temperatures rising sharply in April, the daily requirement upped from 100-150 tankers in March to nearly 300 in April, according to BMC’s water supply department.
Despite having 72 tankers allocated across the city’s 21 zones typically three per zone, the BMC is struggling to meet the rising need, particularly in areas like Karond, Ayodhya Bypass, Chhola Mandir, Aishbagh and Kolar.
With heatwave continuing, residents are hoping for a more sustainable water distribution plan.
Most of the residents who are struggling to get enough clean water daily are forced to rent water tankers from private suppliers by paying extra amount of Rs 1000-1500.
Sobha, a resident of Chandbadh in Aishbagh said, ‘Like every summer, we face severe water issues. We depend entirely on tankers as pipeline supply doesn’t meet our daily needs.’
BMC’s Additional Commissioner Varun Awasthi told Free Press that currently there is no shortage of water supply from the corporation’s ‘Narmada line.’ Awasthi further admitted that water tank requirements increased in summers like every year and a total of 72 tankers for 21 zones are not enough. But our department tries to fulfil 80-90% of water requirements through pipelines.
