A murky nexus between the water tanker mafia and politicians in Bengaluru is raising concerns about the city’s water security. This alleged collusion is playing a dangerous game, jeopardising access to clean water for millions of residents.
The metropolis, touted as the Silicon Valley of India, went through severe water scarcity in March and April for over 45 days. As the parched city struggled to find water, local media outlets reported that techies were leaving for their hometowns.
But the difficult times also established one more fact: water was available for those who could afford it, according to water campaigners. “The tanker operators have created a parallel system that exploits the city’s vulnerabilities,” said Sandeep, a social activist working with citizen action group Bangalore Water Warriors. “It’s a classic case of supply and demand being manipulated to benefit a few at the expense of many.”
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According to the activists, the water tanker mafia is one of many lobbies that work closely with political parties. “You help us with the elections, and we will get back your investment in the summer,” appears to be the secret pact.
“How is it that the tanker operators get water while the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) does not, despite being a government organisation? Despite owning the pipelines, rivers, reservoirs, tanks, lakes, and all water bodies, the BWSSB is unable to supply water to the citizens, while the tanker operators can. Do they manufacture water?” asked Asha Jyothi, a concerned citizen in Koramangala, Bengaluru.
While some areas of Bengaluru were more affected than others, the water crisis was pervasive. Middle-class families in apartment complexes, gated communities, and informal settlements alike depended on tankers, albeit with varying degrees of reliability and affordability.
Seventy per cent of Bengaluru’s houses in all localities in the city’s 198 wards are linked to the water supply pipeline grid.
“It is not that the taps do not get water perennially; only for 45-50 days a year, these lines go dry almost exactly at the same time all over the city, in areas like Whitefield, Ramamurthy Nagar, Hebbal, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Kengeri Satellite Township and a few other areas with high-rise buildings inhabited by high-income groups. They do not mind paying for tanker water and do not mind if their taps go dry. These are the first areas in the city to experience dry taps,” said activist L Sandeep.
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Old Bengaluru municipal areas such as Yeshwanthpura, Rajajinagar, Vijayanagar, Jayanagar, Malleshwaram, Hanumanth Nagar, and Basavanagudi, where people live in individual houses, are next in line to experience mild to moderate water problems. “This demonstrates that the BWSSB operates in a way that benefits the tanker mafia,” he stated.
The BWSSB has been working on a number of projects to help alleviate water scarcity. However, all attempts are futile in the face of the tanker mafia.
Residents from various neighbourhoods in Bengaluru report being held hostage by these operators, who charge exorbitant prices for basic water supply. A standard 12,000-litre tanker can cost between Rs 1,200 and Rs 3,000, depending on urgency and location. Prices may increase during the dry season or when the BWSSB’s supply is disrupted.
On the condition of anonymity, a tanker fleet owner who specialises in water transportation revealed several secrets to this author, claiming that the city’s water supply ward level engineers have their own clique, which determines who will invest in a tanker and how many trips he can make in a season.
“The officials themselves are connected to the ward’s corporator, higher officials and top political leaders. Each tanker costs around Rs 50-55 lakh. The owners are in debt to banks, and if there is no water shortage, they will not receive income and will be unable to service the bank debt. This is why they must participate in the ‘artificial water scarcity economy’ in Bengaluru,” the tanker fleet owner said.
Over 3,500 tankers have been registered in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Area, with approximately 1,499 of them exclusively transporting water throughout the year. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has mandated that all water tanker owners upload vehicle details in a specially designed application.
But BBMP data shows over 1,700 tankers registered until March 14, 2024. There is a clear disparity in the number of tankers in operation between the BBMP and the Regional Transport Commissionerate.
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The quality of the water supplied is also questionable. Although the inner surface of the tanker must be coated with ethoxylated polyethyleneimine to prevent rust inside the tank, many are not, resulting in poor drinking water quality.
A BWSSB official, who is unwilling to compromise on Bengaluru’s water security, told this author on condition of anonymity that he had attended meetings between political leaders and the tanker mafia, as well as BWSSB and BBMP officials in charge of water supply.
“These meetings are a sham; behind the scenes, the tanker mafia is given free rein to control the water supply officials in various wards in order to cut off water. The persons operating the valves of the pipelines are instructed to either release water once every three days or open only 30 per cent of the valve, which will just trickle water into the taps, not enough to fill up the underground sumps and overhead tanks,” the official said.
With no other options, the residents are forced to summon the tankers.
The BWSSB has been working on several initiatives to address the water shortage, including lake rejuvenation, rainwater harvesting mandates, and the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme. However, these measures are frequently outpaced by the city’s expansion and slowed by bureaucratic roadblocks.
The city’s water demand is estimated at 1.5 billion litres per day, but the BWSSB can only supply approximately 900 million litres per day. This gap has allowed the water tanker industry to flourish, despite the fact that it is largely unregulated.
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Citizens’ groups and non-governmental organisations are stepping up their efforts to address the crisis. Initiatives like “Save Bangalore’s Lakes” and “Borewell Recharging Projects” aim to replenish the city’s groundwater levels and reduce tanker dependency. Despite these grassroots efforts, the need for systemic change is urgent.
The unchecked growth of the water tanker mafia highlights the need for strict regulatory frameworks and strong enforcement. Experts argue that a comprehensive strategy involving improved public water infrastructure, stricter regulations on groundwater extraction, and transparent governance is required to reduce the mafia’s power.
As Bengaluru progresses towards becoming a global city, ensuring water security for its residents is critical. The battle against the water tanker mafia is not just about quenching the city’s thirst but reclaiming its future, according to the city’s civil society.
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