Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar drinks water during the recent launch of the mobile Cauvery water at Vidhana Soudha.
Credit: DH Photo
Three weeks since its launch, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has delivered close to 5.79 million litres of water through tankers, catering to close to 885 orders as part of the ‘Sanchari Cauvery’ initiative.
According to data with the BWSSB, the initiative has generated close to Rs 8.04 lakh in revenue. At 112 orders each, the E-1-3 subdivision, which services areas around Kadugodi, and the S-1-3 subdivision, which caters to areas in and around Gottigere, were the areas from where the highest number of orders were received.
BWSSB officials said that the response has been great and the initiative has been successful in giving competition to private tankers. For instance, in Varthur, private tanker prices in a few areas have been slashed from Rs 95 per kilolitre to Rs 84 per kilolitre, an official said.
“Many apartments have entered into agreements with private tankers and are not able to break the agreement. Many are discussing shifting to BWSSB bulk tankers. However, the decision needs to be approved by the associations. Once the discussions gain momentum, in a few more days, we expect the demand to increase further,” said Mirza Anwar, Executive Engineer, Mahadevapura.
BWSSB chairman Dr Ramprasat Manohar V said that the initiative has helped prevent over-exploitation of groundwater.
“If the demand for private tankers comes down, groundwater exploitation will also reduce. That is our objective, and a slash in prices by a few private players shows that we are moving in the right direction,” he said.
However, the BWSSB has still not been able to service a few areas owing to the lack of tankers. The board had asked private tankers to collaborate with the BWSSB to supply Cauvery water. Close to 150 such tankers have signed up now, and the service in all areas will soon be up, officials said.
“Response by private tanker owners is also good. In some cases, there might have been issues with water delivery. But now, in most areas, it is seamless,” Manohar said.
The BWSSB has launched a mobile application and a web platform to allow citizens to register and book water tankers. Using the application, citizens can choose suitable capacity, track the vehicle in real time, make payments online, and receive driver and delivery information.