Pune: PMC To Frame Policy To Regulate Private Water Tankers Amid Allegations Of Black Marketing

Allegations of black marketing, overcharging by private water tanker operators and inadequate regulation by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) dominated the General Body meeting on Tuesday, with corporators across party lines demanding immediate action to curb irregularities.

Responding to the concerns, Mayor Manjusha Nagpure directed the civic administration to prepare a comprehensive policy to regulate private water tankers, reduce citizens' dependence on them and strengthen monitoring of tanker operations.

The issue was raised by corporator Satish Londhe, after which several members highlighted alleged malpractice in tanker operations across different parts of the city. Corporator Puneet Joshi claimed that 50 to 60 tankers are filled daily at the Patwardhan Baug tanker filling point, alleging that 30 to 40 of them are diverted to private operators. He demanded that only PMC-authorised tankers be permitted to draw water from civic filling stations.

Corporator Hemlata Magar alleged that residents of Magarpatta City continue to face severe water shortages despite repeated requests for tanker supply. She claimed that officials either fail to respond to complaints or provide misleading information. Datta Bahirat sought action against the long queues of private tankers at the Chatushrungi filling point, alleging that civic infrastructure is being dominated by private operators.

Corporators Prashant Tupe, Venkoji Khopade, Ganesh Kalyankar, Rupali Dhawade, Kaka Chavan, Prashant Jagtap, Nitin Gavde, Asia Shaikh and Priyanka Shendge also participated in the discussion, urging the administration to ensure stricter monitoring and greater transparency in tanker operations.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Pavneet Kaur informed the House that Pune is currently facing a 25 per cent water cut due to low storage in the dams supplying the city. She said PMC presently operates eight tanker filling points and plans to establish three additional facilities. CCTV cameras are also being installed at all tanker filling stations to improve transparency and monitoring.

Kaur further stated that the administration is finalising a policy to regulate private tanker rates, with a decision expected within the next two to three days. The civic body is also examining the possibility of gradually discontinuing PMC-operated tankers in the future.

During the meeting, Nagpure stressed the need for immediate intervention, stating that the tanker issue has become serious and that citizens should not be exploited during the ongoing water crisis. She said the administration must regulate private tanker rates and take control of groundwater sources wherever necessary.

A heated exchange also took place over the data on tanker operations. Corporator Sachin More questioned the figures presented by the Water Supply Department regarding tanker movements at the Parvati filling point. While officials stated that around 450 tankers are filled there daily, including 300 PMC and 150 private tankers, More rejected the figures and alleged that nearly 80 per cent of the water is being supplied to private operators, who then sell it to builders, hotels and commercial establishments instead of supplying residential areas.

Corporators also raised concerns that private tanker operators are charging as much as ₹25,000 per tanker, tanker registers are not being updated regularly, records at the Ramtekdi tanker point have allegedly been discarded, and citizens' requests for tanker supply are not being prioritised. Members demanded the immediate establishment of additional tanker filling points and strict action against the alleged tanker black market.

The General Body also discussed concerns over contractors submitting bids significantly below estimated project costs, raising questions over the quality of civic works.

Corporator Ganesh Bidkar questioned how contractors could maintain quality after quoting rates as much as 43 per cent below estimates. Water Supply Department officials clarified that the tender in question related to road reinstatement works and not water supply projects.

However, Bidkar argued that such heavily discounted bids ultimately compromise the quality of construction and sought restrictions on abnormally low tenders.

City Engineer Aniruddha Pawaskar informed the House that a committee of senior civic officials has already held three meetings to frame guidelines on contractor accountability in such cases.

The committee's report will be submitted to the Municipal Commissioner shortly.

Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram assured corporators that the PMC would announce a comprehensive policy within the next 10 days to address abnormally low tenders and strengthen quality control in civic projects.