Gurgaon Water Crisis Intensifies as Tanker Demand Skyrockets
Gurgaon residents faced a severe water crisis on Tuesday. The situation deepened as people across the city frantically called for water tankers. Most tankers remained unavailable. Those still operating sharply hiked their rates.
Residents Struggle with No Clear Answers
PN Mishra serves as the RWA general secretary of Suncity Avenue in Sector 102. He expressed frustration over the lack of clear information. "We are calling vendors, officials and everyone we know, but there are no clear answers," Mishra said. He added that vendors cited overwhelming demand as the reason for their inability to supply water. "Residents are questioning us every day," he noted.
The crisis created significant financial strain. Tankers available for Rs 1,300 until Monday were quoted at Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,500 just a day later. This price surge added to the distress of residents who depended almost entirely on private water supply since Saturday.
Pipeline Repair Triggers Widespread Disruption
The water crisis originated from major repair work. GMDA undertook repairs on a damaged joint of a 1,600-mm master pipeline. This pipeline connects to the Chandu Budhera water treatment plant, one of Gurgaon's main water supply sources. The disruption affected large parts of the city, forcing residential societies into emergency arrangements.
Kusum Sharma chairs the Suncity RWA. She emphasized that citizens should not bear the burden when shortages arise from civic agency laxity. "The burden should not fall on citizens," Sharma told TOI.
PN Mishra from Suncity Avenue detailed their daily struggle. "We have been dependent on tankers since Saturday. Our daily requirement is around 30 tankers, but on most days we are managing with barely 15. On Tuesday, only five tankers arrived," he explained.
Shrinking Supply Leads to Price Escalation
The shrinking water supply triggered sharp price increases. Neeraj Yadav lives in South City 2. He reported that tanker availability became uncertain. "Tankers that were available at Rs 1,300 on Monday were charging Rs 1,500 on Tuesday," Yadav said. He added that some vendors stopped responding altogether. "I am now forced to buy bottled water even for cooking and drinking," he stated.
At Imperial Gardens in Sector 102, the crisis imposed a heavy financial burden. Sunil Sareen serves as vice-president of the RWA. He revealed that residents already spent around Rs 2 lakh on private tankers over the past three to four days. "Despite spending so much, water quality is a serious concern," Sareen said. He highlighted that Total Dissolved Solids levels often exceed permissible limits. Sourcing tankers became extremely difficult due to overwhelming demand from nearby societies.
MCG Deploys Tankers Amid Growing Complaints
With complaints pouring in, MCG began deploying water tankers to multiple areas on Tuesday. An MCG official explained their actions. "We were sending water tankers to different parts of the city as residents were complaining about the water supply," the official said. Tankers were sent mostly to sectors 7, 9, 10, New Colony and surrounding areas.
The official also mentioned an earlier incident. Residents created a ruckus at the New Colony boosting station. This prompted the deployment of police to control the situation.
Residents Criticize Lack of Prior Intimation
Vijay Shiv Nath chairs the Federation of Malibu RWA. He criticized the sudden disruption without prior intimation. "The disruption occurred suddenly and without prior intimation, leaving us with no time to store water or regulate supply in a staggered manner," Nath said. He added that Malibu Towne, developed in 1995, has limited underground reservoir capacity. This inadequacy makes prolonged emergencies challenging.
Nath further explained a previous restriction. "Our tubewells were sealed by the town planning department about three years ago following complaints. This significantly reduced our ability to manage shortages during unforeseen disruptions," he stated.
Calls for Government Regulation of Tanker Rates
Kusum Sharma from Suncity highlighted the sharp escalation in tanker rates during the crisis. "Tankers that were earlier available for around Rs 750 are now quoted at Rs 1,200 or even more," she said. Sharma called for urgent government intervention. "Water tanker rates need to be regulated by the government. Deployment of government tankers, strict action against overcharging and immediate price control measures are urgently required to prevent exploitation," she emphasized.
GMDA Completes Pipeline Repair Work
Meanwhile, GMDA officials provided an update. They confirmed that repair work on the damaged master pipeline at Chandu Budhera has been completed. This completion offers hope for the restoration of normal water supply to affected areas in Gurgaon.
