Despite government intervention to regulate water tanker prices, residents across the city continue to face exploitation at the hands of private suppliers.
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had established price caps for water tankers, with a 12,000-litre container costing ₹1,000 for distances within five kilometres and ₹1,200 for distances between five and ten kilometres.
However, reports suggest that residents are still being charged exorbitant prices, ranging from ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 for the same quantity.
This exploitation coincides with a concerning decline in tanker frequency, attributed by apartment dwellers to the government's mandate for registration of private suppliers.
By March 7, the deadline for registration, only a fraction (1,391) of the estimated thousands of private tankers in Bengaluru had complied.
The scarcity of water is severe, with taps running dry in many apartment complexes, as reported by the Deccan Herald.
Residents like Navneet Hegde of Aspen Woods and Kiran Kumar of Sobha Forest View expressed their grievances, highlighting the difficulty in sourcing water tankers at reasonable rates.
The limited availability of registered suppliers, coupled with their distance-based pricing structure, compels residents to resort to unregistered suppliers who demand exorbitant fees.
Sunil Thomas, a resident of Hennur, criticised the government's flawed registration process, suggesting stricter enforcement to ensure all suppliers comply.
He proposed leveraging apartment complexes to identify their water suppliers and expediting the registration process.
Srivatsa V K of Balaji Layout Apartments urged the government to prioritise long-term solutions like replenishing water sources and bolstering water distribution infrastructure, instead of relying solely on price caps and registration drives.
Meanwhile, the BWSSB has also implemented a ban on non-essential usage of potable water, imposing a fine of ₹5,000 for violations.
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