Mihan residents question ‘high’ water rate, seek parity

Nagpur: Envisioned as Nagpur's gateway to the future, the Multi-Modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur (Mihan) has long been pitched as a magnet for IT investments. But for people living in its residential areas, the promise is colliding with a basic, everyday concern — the cost and, in some cases even availability, of water.Several housing societies in Mihan have raised concerns over the water tariff structure implemented by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), which is developing Mihan. One of the societies has officially complained to the agency, calling the tariff disproportionately high and inconsistent with domestic billing norms followed by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).NMC follows a slab-based tariff — Rs8.99 per unit for 1-20 units, Rs14.36 for 21-30, Rs19.77 for 31-80, and Rs25.18 beyond. As per the grievance, MADC follows a flat-rate system without slabs, which has steadily increased from Rs15.97 per unit in 2022-23 to Rs21.26 per unit in 2025-26. In fact, as per the MADC official's response, the new rate for residential potable water is Rs23.38 per 1,000 litres from April 1, 2026. "Even the per-unit water price for Mihan residents is excessively high. At a time when the area is being projected as an upcoming IT hub, residents are being forced to pay a premium for a basic necessity. Additionally, the absence of a slab system means there is no distinction between low and high consumption, even minimal usage is charged at rates comparable to the upper slabs in the city," said Deepak Birole, a resident who has been pursuing the issue with authorities.Residents of another society claimed they do not even have a functional water connection at all, relying on alternative arrangements even as tariff structures remain under dispute elsewhere. Senior advocate RK Dube, a resident, said, "We don't even have water supply in our society till date. We have been raising this issue for the past couple of years, but there is no lasting solution. We now plan to approach the concerned authorities again."They also pointed to broader gaps in civic infrastructure. "Basic services like waste management are not streamlined," another resident said, adding the society has hired a private agency for garbage collection.In its written response to the society, MADC stated the water tariff structure in Mihan is governed by its annual circular approved by the competent authority and is uniformly applicable to all consumers in the project area. As per the revised rates effective April 2026, domestic potable water is charged at ₹23.38 per 1,000 litres, with separate higher rates for residential, commercial and industrial categories. The agency maintained that the billing and tariff framework currently in place is being implemented in line with these notified provisions.When contacted, NMC commissioner and MADC chief Vipin Itankar told TOI that he would look into the matter.
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