Following Bengaluru’s approach, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to introduce an OTP-based online booking system for drinking water tankers. The measure aims to monitor distribution, reduce illegal extraction and limit fake trips amid the city’s water shortage and ongoing tanker strikes. The BMC runs 33 filling points that supply both its own vehicles and more than 200 licensed private operators. The proposed system will require housing societies and other users to book tankers online and receive a one-time password. This code must be shown at the filling station before dispatch, helping block unapproved journeys. Mumbai faces acute shortages as lake levels have fallen to 13 percent of capacity and tanker operators remain on strike. Bengaluru introduced similar steps on May 9, 2025. Its water board launched an app and portal for ordering GPS-tracked tankers that carry certified water and require OTP confirmation on delivery. A separate scheme allows new household connections with low initial payments spread over a year for smaller homes and instalment options for larger properties. The Mumbai plan focuses on tanker oversight while the city continues to manage low reservoir levels and service disruptions.
