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City Runs Dry : Mumbai Water Tanker Strike Hits Hospitals, Homes, and Projects
As the indefinite strike by the Mumbai Water Tanker Association (MWTA) entered its second day, the Maharashtra government has urged the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to intervene, citing growing concerns over the city’s water supply.
The strike, which began on Thursday, was prompted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) move to issue notices to borewell and ring-well operators, instructing them to halt water supply unless they obtain fresh licenses from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
A high-level meeting was held on Friday at the Bandra-Kurla Complex between MWTA representatives, Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar, and BMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sharad Ugade. However, the talks ended without a resolution, and the strike remains in effect.
According to the MWTA, Mumbai operates around 1,800 private water tankers that cater to commercial establishments, residential societies, hospitals, and ongoing construction projects. The strike has severely disrupted these services across the city.
Following the meeting, Darekar told the media, “We tried to find a way to resolve this issue. A no-objection certificate (NOC) can be obtained through an app. Borewell owners should be allowed to extract groundwater after applying for an NOC.”
MWTA Chairman Jasbeer Singh Beera, who attended the meeting, expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome. “We did not receive any concrete assurance. Even after agreeing to pay hefty fees, there's no clarity on the requirement to maintain a 200 sq. metre buffer around water sources. We cannot operate until these concerns are addressed,” he said.
In a late-night development, the BMC issued a statement staying all groundwater-related notices sent to tanker operators until June 15, 2025. Civic chief Bhushan Gagrani has also instructed officials to simplify and streamline the process of obtaining permissions for wells and borewells. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed Gagrani to find a workable solution to ensure tanker services remain operational during the peak summer months.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has issued a warning to the BMC, demanding a resolution within two days. “Housing societies and infrastructure projects are suffering due to this strike. These tankers supply water where it is urgently needed,” Thackeray said during a press conference, threatening morchas at ward offices if the issue is not resolved promptly.
