Citizens of Ambernath and Badlapur are paying the highest rates for water in the entire state of Maharashtra, claims BJP General Secretary Sambhaji Shinde. While water charges in most other cities range from ₹1 to ₹5 per 1,000 litres, residents of these two cities are paying ₹12 per 1,000 litres. Despite this high cost, regular water supply remains an issue, with significant leakage further worsening the situation.
Shinde has accused the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) of running a profit-oriented business in these cities under the guise of public service. He demanded that the operations of the authority be conducted on a “no profit, no loss” basis. According to him, approximately 30% of the water is lost due to leakage, and the authority is not investing in essential capital works to address the issue.
The Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran is responsible for water distribution, maintenance, pumping, and purification in Ambernath and Badlapur. Despite inefficiencies, the authority reportedly earns an annual profit of ₹10 crore from these cities. In contrast, other municipalities in Maharashtra manage their own water supply systems and provide water at subsidised rates using local revenues.
Shinde also revealed that despite ₹129 crore worth of unpaid water bills pending as of 31 March 2025, the authority continues to register profits. He highlighted that Ambernath, in particular, is facing water shortages. Some areas receive water only on alternate days, while others get it just once a week. High-altitude zones are especially affected due to delivery challenges, and leakage is rampant across the city.
Raising concerns over lack of investment in modern infrastructure, Shinde criticised the authority for not deploying appropriate technologies to reduce water loss. He emphasized that revenue generated should be redirected towards improving water supply systems and ensuring efficient distribution. Technical approvals for water supply development work in both cities are currently managed by civil and electrical engineers, but Shinde insists that more should be done to ensure proper execution of essential upgrades.
