Man Crawls On Road Asking ‘Pani Dedo’ Amid Protest As Major Water Crisis Hits Indore; Watch

A severe water crisis has gripped Indore during the peak summer season, leaving thousands of residents struggling for basic drinking water amid rising temperatures.

Several colonies and neighbourhoods across the city are facing acute shortages, with frustrated residents now taking to the streets demanding immediate relief from authorities.

From road blockades to public protests, anger is growing as people claim the current water supply arrangements are failing badly during one of the hottest periods of the year.

Residents Rush Towards Tankers For Water

In many parts of the city, residents say the situation has become so serious that people immediately gather around water tankers the moment they arrive.

Although the municipal corporation has been supplying water through tractor-tankers, locals claim the number of tankers is far too low compared to the growing demand.
Many families are reportedly being forced to either purchase water at high prices or travel long distances just to arrange drinking water for daily use.

Residents say the crisis has started affecting normal life, especially for children, elderly citizens, and working families.

पानी दे दो ..सर पानी दे दो.. बूढ़े, बच्चे और जवान जनता मर जाएंगे.. इंदौर अपने इतिहास का सबसे बड़ा जलसंकट देख रहा है और राजा अमृतकाल का उत्सव बना रहा है #घोरकलजुग #indore pic.twitter.com/2kxLNwaS0N

— अपूर्व اپوروا Apurva Bhardwaj (@grafidon) May 24, 2026

Protest Erupts At Palda Square

On Sunday, Congress leaders and local residents staged protests in different areas over the worsening crisis.

At Palda Square, Congress councillor Kunal Solanki led a road blockade along with local residents.

The protesters demanded:

• Regular water supply
• Better tanker arrangements
• Expansion of the Narmada pipeline network

Residents alleged that despite repeated complaints, authorities had failed to provide a permanent solution.

Many claimed they had been surviving on irregular tanker supply for weeks.

Another Protest Held In Sukhliya

A separate demonstration was organised at Deendayal Upadhyay Square in Sukhliya Zone-5 under the leadership of Congress councillor Raju Bhadauria.
A large number of residents from Ward-27 participated in the protest.

Protesters alleged that Congress leader Vinod Babbu Yadav had been arranging free water distribution in the area for nearly 12 years, but the supply had allegedly been stopped over the last two days.

Residents claimed this further worsened the already difficult situation.

During the protest, angry demonstrators raised slogans against the city mayor and municipal administration.

Congress Earlier Protested At 22 Zonal Offices

The water crisis has now turned into a major political issue in the city.
Earlier, the Congress party organised protests outside all 22 zonal offices of the municipal corporation over the shortage.

In several areas, residents have staged sit-ins and road blockades demanding urgent action. On Saturday, a large group of people even marched to the residence of local MLA Ramesh Mendola while shouting slogans demanding water supply.

Several Areas Still Not Connected To Narmada Pipeline

According to Ward-75 councillor Kunal Solanki, many colonies are still not connected to the Narmada pipeline network.

Because of this, authorities are heavily dependent on tanker-based supply systems.
However, the municipal corporation reportedly lacks enough tankers to meet the needs of the growing population.

Residents say even basic drinking water has become difficult to access in some neighbourhoods.

Severe Staff Shortage Worsening Crisis

Apart from water shortages, the city's Water Supply Department is also facing a serious manpower crisis. Officials revealed that out of 559 sanctioned posts in the department, nearly 298 remain vacant. This means the city's entire water supply system is operating with around 53 percent staff shortage.

The situation is reportedly affecting everything from pipeline maintenance to leakage repairs and pressure management.

Only One Sub-Engineer Managing Major Operations

The staffing situation has become so severe that out of 25 sanctioned sub-engineer posts, 24 are vacant.

Officials say this effectively leaves almost a single sub-engineer responsible for:

• Pipeline monitoring
• Leakages
• Valve operations
• Tank supervision
• Field management

Similarly, six out of eight assistant engineer posts are vacant, while one executive engineer position is also lying vacant.

Officials admitted that one engineer is currently handling water supply, drainage, and public works together in several areas.

Leakage Complaints Rising Across City

Residents from multiple localities have also reported low-pressure supply, pipeline leakages, and faulty valve operations.

In the Naulakha area, a major pipeline leakage has reportedly threatened supply from 34 water tanks.

Officials from the Water Supply Department admitted that the shortage of technical staff has made it difficult to respond quickly to complaints and maintain regular monitoring.

Growing Frustration Among Residents

As temperatures continue to rise, frustration among residents is also increasing.
People say they are not only struggling to manage daily household work but are also worried about how long the crisis will continue.

For many families, the issue is no longer just about inconvenience - it has become a question of accessing basic necessities during extreme summer heat.

With protests spreading across different parts of Indore, pressure is now mounting on the municipal corporation and state authorities to provide urgent relief and long-term solutions before the situation worsens further.