Uneven tanker supply worsens Indore water crisis:60% city in critical zone, fewer tankers in wards without Narmada line

As Indore reels under scorching heat, borewells are running dry and groundwater levels are falling sharply. Adding to people’s woes is the uneven distribution of municipal water tankers. The civic body has allocated tankers in such a way that wards without Narmada pipeline connections have fewer tankers, while areas already connected to Narmada lines are receiving nearly three times more tanker supply. On paper, 500 tankers are operating across wards, but the distribution varies widely — some wards have just five tankers, while others have as many as 15. Assembly-wise figures show that Constituency No. 2 has a higher number of tankers despite having both Narmada supply and borewell access. In contrast, wards in Khajrana, Nipania, Limbodi and central parts of the city have only a limited number of tankers. There are also several wards where Narmada pipelines are already in place, yet tanker numbers remain in double digits or vary significantly. Such inequality in tanker distribution Residents’ struggle: Spending Rs 90,000 a month on water 1. Snehlataganj
Vishal Palace in Snehlataganj has 28 families living there. Since March, residents have been dependent on water tankers. They have to call in two tankers of 15,000-litre capacity every day, paying Rs 3,200 daily. This means they are spending more than Rs 90,000 a month just to buy drinking water. 2. Anurag Nagar
Water is reaching homes at very low pressure in Anurag Nagar. Around 55% of Ward 37 does not have Narmada supply. Earlier, borewells were enough, but falling groundwater levels have now made tankers necessary. A 6,000-litre tanker used to cost Rs 500. Now residents are paying Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 for one tanker. 3. Anuradha Nagar
In Anuradha Nagar of Ward 77, borewell output has dropped sharply. Similar conditions prevail in nearby townships along the bypass. A resident said borewells have stopped supplying water, and no water has come through the Narmada line either. Residents have been struggling for the past 15 days. Areas such as Mansarovar and Shreeji Valley in the Bicholi belt have been facing water problems since February. Water level drops to 40–75 feet After November, nearly 60% of the city falls into the critical zone. Groundwater levels drop below 35 feet. Borewells are generally able to supply water only as long as the water table remains between 30 and 35 feet. “We receive reports from different zones, and tankers are allocated accordingly. In some places where Narmada pipeline work is underway, extra tankers are temporarily provided as an alternative arrangement for a few days. Tankers have been allotted to wards in the same manner as last year,” said Ashish Pathak, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.