Thane: Reeling under prolonged water cuts and low-pressure supply, Thane residents seem to be once again at the mercy of private water tankers, with operators allegedly charging up to Rs 2,500-4,000 for a 10,000-litre tanker.The steep rates have triggered demands for a civic policy to regulate tanker supply and curb alleged profiteering amid an impending water crisis.While the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) charges Rs 700-1,000 for a 10,000-litre tanker, private operators reportedly demand Rs 1,800-4,500, particularly from residential complexes along the water-stressed Ghodbunder Road stretch.“There are times when operators charge Rs 4,000 and those who can afford to pay more often are prioritised, leaving several societies with no option but to cough up. We spent Rs 2 lakh last month itself on tankers. The expense adds to our monthly maintenance bills, but water is essential,” said C N Shetty, office-bearer of a Ghodbunder society.Meanwhile, BJP corporator Bharat Chavan has written to the Mayor and Municipal Commissioner demanding a comprehensive tanker service policy, including a cap on charges and a six-hour delivery deadline from the time of registration. He has also sought tanker supplies equivalent to the sanctioned water allocation of residential societies.Deputy Mayor Krishna Patil and BJP group leader Mukesh Mokashi have backed the proposal. Chavan has also sought priority tanker supply for residential buildings, hospitals, schools and anganwadis, fixed rates for commercial establishments, periodic water quality checks and GPS tracking of tankers.The demand comes as the city braces for 2.5 days of scheduled water cuts. MIDC has already implemented a 36-hour shutdown every Thursday, while TMC and STEM will enforce a 24-hour shutdown every Monday from next week, replacing the earlier Wednesday schedule.With repeated cuts and low-pressure supply forcing societies to depend on private tankers, residents fear that the coming months could bring further price hikes and deepen the city’s water woes.Civic officials said they are working on increasing the capacity of points at their tanker water filling spots at Saket and at Manpada in the coming days. Roughly 17 tankers utilise the services daily and the number is likely to add up in the coming months, say officials.
