New Delhi, Apr 20 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday flagged off 1,111 tankers equipped with GPS devices to boost water supply in the city during the summer season.

These devices will enable tracking of the tankers’ location on an IT dashboard from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) headquarters.

“This is not just the launch of a tanker service but the beginning of a new, transparent and tech-enabled system of water distribution,” Gupta said at a ceremony in Burari marking the completion of 60 days of her government.

The tankers are equipped with advanced GPS devices and will be monitored in real time from the Central Control Room in Jhandewalan (DJB headquarters). Data on tanker location, time of delivery and quantity of water supplied will be monitored, she said.

Gupta said Delhi is advancing confidently on the path of becoming a truly “Digital Delhi” under a new mindset and technological approach.

Rs 9,000 crore has been earmarked for the water and sanitation sector under the ‘Viksit Delhi Budget’, she noted.

“We have deployed 50 super sucker machines across the city to deal with the problem of overflowing sewers while the previous government had only deployed two,” she added.

The chief minister assured that areas currently lacking piped water infrastructure will soon receive drinking water through pipeline systems.

“Due to the apathy of the previous government, Delhi’s water supply had become disorganised with the tanker mafia tightening its grip over the system.

“No corruption or misuse will be tolerated in such a vital service. It is our government’s goal to provide clean and sufficient water to every household,” an official statement quoted Gupta as saying.

Water Minister Parvesh Verma said, “The government is working on better water storage facilities. Earlier there used to be allegations that Haryana is not giving water to us but that is not true.” People can track the location of these tankers on mobile phones like we do on food delivery apps, he said.

To address water scarcity, Rs 100 crore has been allocated for new borewells and rainwater harvesting systems, and Rs 50 crore has been designated for the rejuvenation of Delhi’s water bodies in this year’s budget. PTI SSM DIV DIV