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Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
What is ‘Sanchari Cauvery'? Bengaluru's new government-run water tanker service explained
In a bid to rein in skyrocketing water prices and tackle the city's long-standing dependence on private water suppliers, the Karnataka government has launched 'Sanchari Cauvery', a state-operated water tanker service aimed at delivering clean, affordable drinking water directly to residents. Launched on Friday by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha, the initiative promises to undercut what he termed the 'tanker mafia', private operators who, according to the minister, charge up to ₹3,000 for a single tanker using water drawn from over 3,000 unregulated borewells. (Also Read: Indian armed forces capable of giving fitting reply to Pakistan: DK Shivakumar) 'With 'Sanchari Cauvery', we are supplying BWSSB-certified Cauvery water at reasonable prices, ₹660 for 4,000 litres and ₹740 for 6,000 litres, to ensure people don't fall prey to exploitation,' Shivakumar said, as quoted in a press note issued by his office. The new service is operated through GPS-tracked tankers, and bookings can be made via the official app Kaveri on Wheels, available on the Google Play Store. The water supplied is BIS-certified and comes with a government guarantee of quality, a key differentiator from many private suppliers whose sources are often unknown. Describing the scheme as a first-of-its-kind in the city, Shivakumar said this doorstep delivery model was conceptualised to bridge gaps in Bengaluru's formal water supply infrastructure, especially in newly developed or water-stressed areas. In addition to the new delivery scheme, the minister said the state had also laid the foundation for a ₹1,900 crore project near Nelamangala to treat Vrishabhavathi river water and use it to replenish tanks in rural parts of Bengaluru. He added that the government is working on Cauvery Stage VI, with several banks reportedly showing interest in financing the next phase. To further ease access, the BWSSB will now charge just ₹1,000 as a deposit for new water connections in smaller homes. For apartments, owners will be allowed to pay the connection fee in instalments, 20 per cent upfront and the rest within a year. Shivakumar also addressed security concerns in the backdrop of regional tensions, stating that tightened measures were in place at reservoirs and tourists would be restricted from accessing dam sites. 'Public cooperation is key during this time. We are ensuring water reaches homes safely and affordably, without handing control to private entities,' he said, referring to past proposals to privatise water supply that were eventually shelved. (Also Read: Bengaluru Police geo-tag over 5.35 lakh CCTV cameras to boost crime detection: Report)
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Amidst rising water tanker prices, BWSSB launches Sanchari Cauvery initiative
The much-awaited Sanchari Cauvery initiative, where the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will provide Cauvery water in tankers, was launched on Friday. Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who launched the Kaveri on Wheels app on Friday, said the it was brought to control the 'water tanker mafia'. 'This water tanker mafia has drilled over 3,000 borewells and have been fleecing people up to ₹3,000 per load of water. We have started this initiative to curb this. Bengaluru is the first city in the country to provide BIS certified drinking water from a river in tankers,' he said. BWSSB has roped in 250 water tankers and established 55 Cauvery Connect Centres, essentially large water tankers, mostly in the outer zones to run the initiative, said Ram Prasath Manohar, chairman, BWSSB. He also said the board has launched the dedicated app and a website for citizens to book water tankers. 'Customers can book water tankers, make the payment, and track the tankers on the app. Water will be delivered within 24 hours,' he said. Details of the tanker and the driver will also be shared, and a helpline will be available for grievance redressal, he added. The cost of a 12,000-litre tanker load of water supplied by BWSSB will be ₹1,290, within a 2-km radius and ₹70 a km thereafter. Residents of the outer zones still dependent on water tankers lament that it has been launched only as the summer is drawing to a close and the monsoon will set in less than three weeks. 'This is a great initiative, the decision for which was taken when the crisis was at its peak. But by the time it has been implemented, the summer is almost drawing to a close,' said Jagadish Reddy of Varthur Rising. However, BWSSB sources said that this would not be limited to the summer alone and will be a permanent programme. Meanwhile, the prices of water tankers in the city have crossed the ₹1,500 and ₹1,700 mark for a tanker load of 12,000 litres in areas where apartments are still to get water connections under Cauvery V Stage. A businessman who runs a fleet of water tankers in Mahadevapura zone, who did not wish to be named, said that with the Cauvery V Stage, the demand had indeed fallen in some pockets and that had hit the overall business of water tankers. 'We have a few pockets and apartments who still have contracts with us. Meanwhile, groundwater levels have been depleting, and diesel prices increased this summer sending the costs of extracting and transporting groundwater northwards. Given that we also have lost customers this summer, we are forced to jack up prices and recover our costs from the existing customer base,' he said. Sarala Cauvery EMI option for Cauvery connections Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) also launched Sarala Cauvery, an initiative where residents get an option to pay the charges to get a connection in 12 EMIs, on Friday. While apartment complexes can make a down payment of 20% of the total charges initially and pay the rest in 12 EMIs, connections for houses less than 600 sq. ft, mostly the urban poor, can get a new connection by paying just ₹1,000 and pay the rest in 12 EMIs. 'This initiative is designed to support the urban poor, middle-class families, and apartment communities,' Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar said. ₹100 crore set aside for Cauvery Aarti at KRS Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D. K. Shivakumar said the Water Resources Department had set aside ₹100 crore to conduct Cauvery Aarti, on the lines of Ganga Aarti at Krishnaraja Sagar. 'We have formed a committee, including Departments of Kannada and Culture, Tourism and Muzrai Departments, and BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar who successfully conducted Cauvery Aarti at Sankey Tank in Bengaluru has been appointed its chairman,' he said. Sources said that the government was planning to make seating arrangements for 10,000 people at the venue and the event will likely be held during Dasara celebrations later this year. The programme has drawn criticism from multiple quarters, including Peoples' Union of Civil Liberties Karnataka, who have said the money should be instead used to clear the river of pollution. Meanwhile, Mr. Shivakumar brushed aside opposition to the ₹1,900 crore project to fill tanks in Nelamangala with treated water from the Vrishabhavathi Valley, for which he laid the foundation stone on Thursday. He said the project had been successful in Kolar and the water will further get purified when it steeps into the ground and recharge the groundwater level. He also said those opposing the project were not farmers. No tourists at dams Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the State government has not only tightened security at all dams in the State, but had also banned tourists visiting any dams. 'Only technical personnel will be allowed near dams till further orders. This is a matter of national security and people must cooperate,' he said.
