Forget Bank OTPs, Mumbai's Next One Could Be For Your Water Tanker! Steps On How You May Have To Book

Published 11 June 2026 · local

Forget Bank OTPs, Mumbai's Next One Could Be For Your Water Tanker! Steps On How You May Have To Book Published By, Edited By Last

Forget Bank OTPs, Mumbai's Next One Could Be For Your Water Tanker! Steps On How You May Have To Book Published By, Edited By Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 13:47 IST With lake levels dropping and Mumbai under a 10 per cent water cut, the BMC is moving fast — and cracking down on unauthorised tanker trips is its most immediate fix. BMC controls 33 water filling points citywide, supplying its own fleet and over 200 licensed tankers. The BMC is planning to overhaul how Mumbaikars book water tankers, introducing an OTP-based digital system to curb unauthorised trips and bring transparency to the city’s potable water supply chain. The move comes as Mumbai reels under a 10 per cent water cut amid depleting lake levels. The civic body currently controls 33 potable water filling points across the city, through which water is supplied to its own fleet of tankers as well as over 200 licensed tankers. Under the present system, a single permit allows tankers to make multiple trips — a loophole the BMC says it wants to shut. The new policy seeks to change that through online approvals, OTP-based bookings and a live digital portal to monitor every tanker movement, modelled closely on BMC’s existing stormwater drain desilting dashboard.

What Is The BMC’s Existing Desilting Dashboard, And Why Does It Matter Here? BMC’s stormwater drain desilting system is the template for the proposed tanker portal. The civic body has been using an AI model to monitor stormwater drain desilting work by contractors, requiring them to upload geo-tagged photos and videos before, during and after desilting operations, along with live site locations. Payments are withheld if AI verification fails. The BMC saved around Rs 15 crore through this system, which was built by a BMC-appointed agency at a cost of approximately Rs 25 lakh. A similar live dashboard is available for citizens to track desilting progress. The tanker portal, officials told the Indian Express, will work on the same principle — permissions granted digitally, extraction monitored in real time. How Will The OTP System Work For Residents Ordering Water Tankers? Based on what BMC officials have described to IE, here is how the process is expected to work once the policy is in place Step What happens 1. Apply online Housing societies or individuals apply for a water tanker through BMC’s digital portal 2. Approval granted BMC reviews and approves the request; permission is issued digitally 3. OTP sent to customer A one-time password is sent to the registered customer’s mobile number 4.