Nagpur: Water consumers in the city could soon face higher bills as the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) proposed a 5% hike in water tariffs across all categories.
The proposal, moved by the water works dept, is backed by Clause 56(B) of the Nagpur City Water Rate Assessment and Collection Bylaws, 2009, and the 2010 tariff schedule. The provision empowers the municipal commissioner to approve up to 5% tariff hike in a financial year without requiring the general body nod, with the condition that the decision be placed before the standing committee for information. Any hike beyond 5% would require general body's approval.
What makes the move significant is the precedent set over the past two years. Despite having the provision to revise tariffs annually, former municipal commissioners Radhakrishnan B and Abhijeet Chaudhari chose not to implement any hike after the 2023 revision, effectively providing relief to consumers amid rising cost of living pressures. "The last tariff increase was implemented in 2023," confirmed superintending engineer Shweta Banerjee.
The timing has raised concerns among citizens and activists, particularly as complaints over faulty billing, meter inaccuracies and erratic water supply remain unresolved in many areas. Critics argue that revising tariffs without addressing these systemic issues would unfairly burden consumers. At the same time, officials cite rising operational and maintenance costs, along with the civic body's strained finances, as key reasons for pushing the revision.
Existing Water Tariff Rates
Residential (R1)
0-20 units: Rs8.15/unit
21-30 units: Rs13.03/unit
31-80 units: Rs17.93/unit
Above 80 units: Rs24.44/unit
Institutional (IA/IB)
Rs21.17 to Rs32.59 per unit (slab-wise)
Commercial (C1A/C1B/C2)
Rs40.73 to Rs122.17 per unit (depending on usage)
Slum connections
Minimum monthly charges: Rs48.86 (hutments) to Rs81.45 (RCC houses)
Note: Minimum monthly charges apply based on pipe size (15mm-300mm), impacting base billing irrespective of consumption
Proshun Chakraborty is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years o...
Read MoreProshun Chakraborty is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience in civic and urban affairs reporting. Currently Editor-Civic Affairs at The Times of India, Nagpur, he leads coverage on municipal governance, public infrastructure, traffic management, RTO affairs, and urban policy shifts. Proshun has built a trusted network across citizens, bureaucracy and political landscape. He is highly respected for his depth in civic journalism and unwavering commitment to public interest reporting. His hobbies include reading, listening to music and travelling.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment