Hyderabad Water Tanker Operators Call Off Strike, Agree to Resume Supplies

Hyderabad: Water tanker operators in Hyderabad have called off their strike and agreed to resume water supplies immediately, providing relief to residents facing difficulties due to the disruption.

The decision was taken following a meeting between HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath and Water Tanker Operators Association president Chandrashekar, held at the request of Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar.

According to HYDRAA, the tanker operators have agreed to source borewell water only from locations outside the Outer Ring Road (ORR), falling under the designated PURE region, and only after obtaining the necessary permissions.

Speaking about the issue, A.V. Ranganath said that excessive extraction of groundwater through commercial borewells was contributing to the depletion of groundwater levels. He pointed out that commercial borewells are generally drilled to depths of 1,000 to 1,500 feet, while domestic borewells are usually between 100 and 300 feet deep.

Residents of Tellapur, Suraram and Jeedimetla had reportedly raised complaints about large-scale commercial groundwater extraction, alleging that it was causing household borewells to dry up.

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HYDRAA has decided to coordinate with the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB), Revenue Department, Police Department and other concerned agencies to prevent illegal groundwater extraction.

The authorities will also work towards ensuring that commercial establishments continue to receive water supplies without causing further depletion of groundwater resources.

The decision to call off the strike is expected to restore normal tanker services across Hyderabad. However, officials have stressed the need to regulate commercial borewell operations and protect groundwater resources to prevent drinking water shortages for residential areas.