Hyderabad’s tall towers battle thirst Premium

Hyderabad's water crisis deepens as residents face acute shortage, leading to reliance on water tankers and concerns over groundwater depletion.

Cradling their two-year-old daughter, banker Anjana and techie-husband Ramakrishna savour the breathtaking view of the cityscape from their 14th floor abode in a plush gated community of Hyderabad. The couple, in their mid-40s, consider the nearly ₹2-crore home lucky, for this is where they experienced the profound joy of parenthood for the first time.

“The city looks really beautiful with or without lights from up here. There is no disturbance, no dust or mosquitoes,” says Anjana.

However, amid the serenity, there looms a worry that the couple shares with 300-odd fellow residents: water shortage.

“The borewells dried up. A community circular announced additional monthly maintenance of ₹4,000 per flatfor buying water tankers, but even the tankers are delayed,” she says.

Kukatpally, a bustling residential and commercial locality in the north western part of Hyderabad, is considered the gateway to the core western region, the hub of Information Technology and institutes in Gachibowli, Hi-Tech City, Nizampet, Miyapur, Serlingampally, and newer avenues beyond.

As per readings in February 2024 by the State Ground Water Department, Kukatpally topped the State with maximum water level depth of 42.35 metres below ground level.

However, with ground water level depleting from as early as January, tankers replaced borewells as the only source of water for households and multi-storey buildings in the locality. Residents, who did not have to book even a single tanker last year, now book up to six per month.