Pune: Residents of several housing societies in Undri, Mohammadwadi and NIBM Annexe continue to pay water tax without receiving a single drop of municipal supply, even as their dependence on private tanker operators rises and become costlier.Following a tanker strike that disrupted supply on Wednesday and exposed the area’s vulnerability, operators have now raised water charges by 10%.In a letter dated April 15 to housing societies, tanker operators announced a rate hike from an average of Rs700 to Rs800 per 9,000 litres, citing rising operational costs as the reason. Sushant Lonkar, a tanker operator active in the area and one of the leaders of Wednesday’s strike, said the increase was necessary due to additional expenses such as installing CCTV cameras and dealing with logistical challenges.“During summers, even our borewells run dry. We are forced to travel to distant areas like Wagholi to procure water and then transport it back to these societies. This increases fuel and time costs. Now, with CCTV installations being mandatory, our expenses have gone up further,” Lonkar said, adding that societies had been informed in advance.He noted that tanker rates vary depending on distance, with some societies paying Rs400-500 per tanker earlier. “Across the board, rates have gone up by about Rs100, which we believe is a nominal increase considering the circumstances,” he said.Residents, however, have strongly objected — not just to the hike, but to what they describe as a long-standing failure of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to provide basic water infrastructure despite collecting taxes.Ashok Mahendale, a resident of Raheja Reserve Premier Society on NIBM Annexe Road, termed the continued levy of water-related taxes as “blatant deception”. He pointed out that residents have been paying a combined water charge and water benefit tax — amounting to about 8% — for years, despite receiving no supply. “In Mohammadwadi, water storage tanks were constructed nearly eight years ago, but no water has ever been supplied. Multiple deadlines have passed with no progress,” he said.He added that housing societies in the area spend anywhere between Rs1 lakh and Rs8 lakh every month on tanker water, raising serious questions about the purpose of the taxes being collected.Sunil Koloti, a resident of Nyati Wind Chimes in Undri, echoed these concerns, calling the situation “systemic exploitation”. He said there is no pipeline network or municipal supply, yet residents continue to pay full property taxes. “A single society of 200 flats, housing over 1,200 people, spends more than Rs50 lakh annually on water. This is not a luxury — it is the cost of compensating for complete administrative failure,” Koloti said. He alleged that elected representatives have offered only “empty assurances”, while the area continues to be treated as a revenue source rather than a civic responsibility.Koloti further claimed that taxpayer money from these localities appears to be diverted to already developed areas such as Deccan, JM Road and University Road, while Undri, Mohammadwadi, Pisoli and NIBM Annexe remain neglected. He demanded a public audit of how tax revenues from these regions are being utilised.Another resident from Dorabjee Paradise society, requesting anonymity, said frustration has reached a breaking point. “We have no hope left. The overhead water tanks stand right in front of our society, but they are never used. It feels like a cruel reminder. I am seriously considering moving out of Pune,” he said.
