In a move to curb the malpractices of the “water tanker lobby”, the “Tanker Management Portal”, an OTP based system started by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on an experimental basis, is giving good results.

Three PMC staffers Bhagvan Nivdekar, Niranjan Chandere, Rameshwar Gundgal, deployed at the PMC’s tanker filling point in the premises of Pashan Water Pumping Station are systematically using the “Tanker Management Portal” on their cell phones since April 2025, ensuring the tankers are properly supplying drinking water to about 150 residential societies in Sus and Mhalunge area.
The PMC has about 25 tanker filling stations in different parts of the city, from where drinking water is provided through several tankers, mainly to the residential locations that either do not have water pipelines or face water shortage often.

Despite GPS trackers on all these water tankers, there have been multiple complaints of their involvement in water thefts. It was observed instead of supplying drinking water from PMC’s tanker filling points to designated residential societies, the tanker lobby was illegally selling it to other places in “black” and then provided contaminated water lifted from borewells to societies. The registers at the tanker filling stations were not maintained properly.

As a solution to this problem, for the first time, the PMC officials got the “Tanker Management Portal” developed with the help of private experts, last year. The Pashan tanker filling station was chosen for the experiment.

Saurabh Sakate, Junion Engineer of PMC’s Water Supply Department said the residential societies in Sus and Mhalunge, that get water from the tanker filling point in Pashan, are registered on the “Tanker Management Portal”.

“Societies are given Login IDs and passwords for accessing the portal. After the tanker is filled, its number and name of the residential society where it is supposed to deliver the water are recorded in the portal. Subsequently the One Time Password (OTP) is generated for the societies. The society officials can check this information on the portal on their phones,” he said.

Sakate said after the tanker reaches the location, OTPs are verified and the society officials click on the “Mark as Received” option on the portal, to confirm the delivery of water. “Involvement of society citizens brings more transparency in the system..,” he said.
Rahul Salunkhe, Executive Engineer (Chaturshrungi) of Water Supply Department said the “Tanker Management Portal” is being observed and improvised. “We found it useful,” he said.

Salunkhe was part of a recently held meeting between civic officials, police and Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi, when the PMC staffers at the Pashan tanker filling station were asked to share information about the functioning of “Tanker Management Portal.”

PMC staffer Bhagvan Nivdekar said, “Details of every tanker that gets water at our point is recorded in the portal. It includes the tanker number, tanker company, challan number, delivery number, society’s name, delivery date and time. OTPs are generated. The portal also helps us in monitoring the GPS trackers on the tankers. The portal system can identify the tankers that do not deliver water at the designated location on the same day, thus preventing water theft or other wrong practices. Besides, we properly maintain handwritten records in our registers. This has reduced the complaints from citizens by 95 percent. We are getting complete support from PMC authorities.”

His colleague Chandere said, “From April 29, 2025 till today, the portal has recorded about 17,500 tanker trips from the Pashan tanker filling point. We have also formed WhatsApp groups comprising representatives of residential societies registered in the portal. They post their queries about water supply on the WhatsApp groups and we respond to them within a few minutes.”

Dr Priti Kale, Chairman of Balaji Metro Jazz Housing Society in Mhalunge said, “Earlier, we often had complaints and arguments over irregularities of water tankers. Now, the portal for tanker management has improved the system. The way PMC is using technology for disciplining water tankers here is appreciable. This should happen across the city”

Nandkishor Jagtap, Chief Engineer, Water Supply Department, said PMC has plans to use the “Tanker Management Portal” at all the tanker filling stations in the city.