Nagpur's 24x7 Water Supply Project Serves Only 2.4% of Households, Data Reveals

Nagpur's ambitious 24x7 water supply project remains largely confined to a handful of pockets, with official data revealing that only 10,944 consumers—just 2.4% of the city's total 452,035 households—receive uninterrupted water supply throughout the day. In stark contrast, more than 441,000 consumers continue to depend on restricted and uneven distribution, highlighting significant disparities in the city's water network.

Official Review Meeting Exposes Stark Imbalances

The figures were submitted by the water supply department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Orange City Water (OCWL) during Mayor Neeta Thakre's first review meeting of the 24x7 project, held on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by ruling party leader Narendra Borkar, Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, Superintending Engineer Shweta Banerjee from the Public Health Engineering Department, and senior OCWL officials.

According to the zone-wise data, confirmed round-the-clock supply exists in only three Elevated Service Reservoir (ESR) command areas:

Takli Sim ESR (Trimurti Nagar) in Laxmi Nagar zone provides 24x7 water to 5,875 consumers.
Omkar Nagar-1 ESR in Hanuman Nagar zone covers 5,009 consumers with uninterrupted supply.
In the Ashi Nagar zone, only 60 consumers in Ved Nagar under Nara ESR receive continuous water supply.

Though certain ESRs in Dharampeth and Mangalwari zones report "20–24 hours" or extended supply ranges, they are not officially categorized as areas with 24-hour continuous supply. Across large parts of the city, supply continues to range between 2 and 4 hours daily, with many residents facing low pressure and inconsistent timing.

Zone-Wise Breakdown Highlights Widespread Inconsistencies

The presentation before the mayor exposed a stark imbalance in Nagpur's water distribution network. While a few isolated pockets demonstrate that continuous supply is technically achievable, the overwhelming majority of households remain dependent on limited, time-bound, and often low-pressure water supply years after the rollout of the 24x7 project.

Key findings from the zone-wise data include:

Nehru Nagar zone, serving 48,677 consumers, records uniform supply within the 2-4 hour bracket across Dighori, Kharbi, Sakkardara, and Nandanvan ESRs, with remarks highlighting low pressure and repeated demands for increased timing.
Satranjipura zone (56,026 consumers) reflects a similar pattern, with most ESRs operating between 2 and 4 hours and residents demanding supply twice a day.
Ashi Nagar zone (61,822 consumers) largely receives 2-3 hours of water across Binaki, Indora, Jaripatka, and Nari ESRs. Several areas are undergoing old pipeline replacement works, affecting supply pressure and duration.
Gandhibagh zone (29,169 consumers) also reports a limited supply of 3-4 hours across its ESR command areas.

Disparities Evident Even in Better-Performing Zones

Even in comparatively better-performing zones, disparities are evident. For instance:

Dharampeth zone (46,029 consumers) sees Governor's House and Tekdi Wadi receiving 20-24 hours, while Dabha and Seminary Hills operate at 2.5-4.5 hours.
Hanuman Nagar zone (43,254 consumers) shows contrast, with Hudkeshwar receiving only 2-3 hours, whereas Nalanda Nagar and Shrinagar get 16-18 hours.
Lakadganj and Dhantoli zones also display a mixed performance, ranging from 2.5 hours in some ESRs to 18-20 hours in select pockets like Bharatwadi and Kalamna Minimata Nagar.

Repeated remarks in the official data citing "low water pressure", "supply time change", and "demand for increased hours" underline operational inconsistencies in several ESR command areas. This data underscores the urgent need for improvements in Nagpur's water infrastructure to ensure equitable access for all residents.