Soon, Mumbaikars can get water at Rs 1 per litre in high-footfall areas in the city from December. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will install water ATMs across city.
According to Mid-Day, BMC had announced 'any time water' for the city in its budget earlier this year. The water department has started working on the modalities to rope in contractors for water ATMs. Additional Municipal Commissioner Praveen Darade told the leading daily that the plan was likely to be executed from December with water ATMs at beaches, gardens and other high-footfall areas.
The water ATMs will dispense filtered water. The machines will be provided a water supply connection and the BMC claims to give out water that is of packaged bottled water quality. A civic officer told the Mid-Day, "Where the working population often prefers bottled water, they can fill their own bottles at the water ATMs. Taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers too can avail this 24*7 service."
The BMC will introduce the project on a pilot basis. According to Hindustan Times, the civic body has already identified two locations, which will install water ATMs at Marine Drive and Girgaum Chowpatty in January next year. The civic body will appoint private contractors for the ATMs by December.