Pune: The Pune Municipal Corporation’s one-time password system for monitoring water tanker trips remains limited to only SNDT refilling point even three months after its pilot launch, highlighting delays in scaling up the initiative and gaps in broader implementation.According to civic officials, the one-time password (OTP)-based mechanism was designed on the lines of cab aggregators to ensure timely deliveries, prevent unauthorised stops and curb illegal water diversion. “The administration is reviewing the response to the system. Initial feedback has been encouraging. We plan to roll it out at other tanker points soon,” Nandkishor Jagtap, head of PMC’s water supply department, said.Residents, however, raised concerns over delays in tanker deliveries and loss of water during transit. “The demand for water tankers rises sharply during summer. The authorities must ensure that a strong system is in place for timely and accurate delivery,” Kothrud resident Gauri Kulkarni said.Echoing similar concerns, Asif Shaikh from Mohammadwadi said the civic body needed to ensure adequate water supply. “Water consumption is high, but the number of tankers provided by PMC is insufficient. Demand and supply must be tracked, and systems should be implemented to manage this effectively,” he said.After fatal accidents in the NIBM-Undri and Wanowrie areas, PMC has come under fire for failing to regulate more than 1,400 daily tanker trips. Civic activists alleged that despite mandatory GPS installation to track tanker movement and curb ‘tanker mafia’ activities, enforcement remained weak, with even the OTP system proving ineffective.Water tankers operated by contractors are allowed to collect water from designated filling points like Ramwadi, Swargate, Bund Garden, Patwardhan Baug, Yerawada, Chatushrungi and Pashan. Civic records showed that PMC tankers collectively made around 1,400 trips daily, including 1,000 scheduled and 400 emergency supplies.
