Hyderabad restaurants trigger water wars with diners

Step into a plush diner and the first question even before you adjust the chair is: “Normal water or bottled water?“ Some city restaurants have become so posh that they don't have regular water anymore. Recently , when Rashi Rao and a bunch of her girlfriends entered a fine-dine restaurant, the waiter curtly told them: `We don't have normal water; you have to buy a bottle'.This is not an isolated incident as foodie groups in the city regularly keep posting bills on social forums, and the point of conflict invariably is the price on the water bottle and the bill.
“When the bill came, we were shocked. The bottle had an MRP of `20, but we were billed `100 for water and in addition, other taxes including VAT, Sales Tax and Service Tax were tagged on. This is plain fraud,“ says an incensed Rashi. In fact, a sports bar in the city was recently fined by the Legal Metrology Department for violating rules.
WATER BOTTLE FOR Rs 150?
Foodie forums are rife with stories about the fleecing going on in the city restaurants for something as basic as water. Gautam Naidu Peddi, an entrepreneur says, “It is ridiculous and I have had many arguments at restaurants. I don't mind paying any amount for food but for water, they cannot charge more than the MRP .“
NO REGULAR WATER
While some quick service restaurants have drinking water facility, some restaurants are serving only bottled water and then charge extra for it.Pallab De, a project manager says, “There's this café in a five-star property which is reasonably priced, with a singular exception -water.While the desserts are priced at or below `100, a bottle of water is `90.“
NO END TO TROUBLES
“It is an unfair trade practice.No one is allowed to charge more than the printed MRP.You can file a complaint,“ says an official of the Legal Metrology Department in the city .However, the official expressed helplessness, as the matter is sub judice when it comes to higher billing for water. “We can't take stringent action as our hands are tied because of an ongoing case.“