Pune: OTP-Based Water Tanker System by PMC Still on Paper, Tender Process to Begin After Code Ends

Pune, 22nd October 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) proposed OTP-based water tanker management system, aimed at preventing fake tanker trips, water theft and possible overcharging of citizens, is yet to be implemented, six months after it was announced.

The civic administration has now said the tendering process for the system will begin after the model code of conduct ends. The delay has left residents dependent on private water tankers awaiting a transparent and accountable supply mechanism, particularly amid concerns over possible water shortages.

The system was proposed to bring transparency to tanker-based water supply, prevent operators from recording trips without delivering water and curb irregularities. However, Sajag Nagrik Manch has claimed that the system is yet to be implemented in most parts of the city, barring the Sus and Mahalunge areas.

Activist Vivek Velankar questioned the delay, pointing out that six months had passed since the system was announced without it being rolled out across the city.

Under the proposed mechanism, residents will be able to book water tankers through a mobile app. The movement of each tanker will be tracked from the filling station to the destination. Once the water is delivered, residents will receive a one-time password (OTP) on their mobile phones to confirm the delivery.

The system is expected to curb fake trip records and the diversion or theft of tanker water by digitally tracking bookings, movement and deliveries.

With the possibility of increased demand for tankers if water cuts are imposed in the coming months, the absence of a monitoring mechanism has raised concerns that residents may have to pay more for water. Velankar has demanded that the system be implemented across the city without further delay.

Nandkishore Jagtap, head of PMC’s water supply department, confirmed that the system was yet to be introduced. He said the civic body would initiate the tendering process after the model code of conduct ends and work towards implementing it at the earliest.

Jagtap said the system would operate on the lines of ride-hailing platforms such as Ola and Uber, allowing residents to book tankers digitally and track their movement until delivery. The OTP-based confirmation would help verify deliveries and prevent water theft and fake records, he added.