Mihan residents question ‘high’ water rate, seek parity Residents of Mihan, a residential area near Nagpur’s Multi-Modal International Hub Airport, are raising concerns over the steep water tariffs imposed by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). While the region is being promoted as a future IT hub, locals argue that the cost of water is disproportionately high compared to rates in Nagpur, where the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) employs a slab-based pricing system. The dispute has led to formal complaints from housing societies, with some residents also facing issues of water supply. The MADC’s current water tariff structure, which applies to all consumers in the project area, charges a flat rate of Rs21.26 per unit in 2025-26, set to rise further to Rs23.38 per 1,000 litres from April 1, 2026. This rate is significantly higher than the NMC’s slab-based model, which ranges from Rs8.99 for the first 20 units to Rs25.18 for consumption beyond 80 units. Residents argue that the MADC’s uniform pricing fails to account for varying consumption levels, effectively charging low users the same as high consumers. Deepak Birole, a resident and advocate for the issue, criticized the tariff as “excessively high,” noting that the area’s development as an IT hub should not come at the expense of basic necessities. He emphasized that the lack of a slab system means even minimal usage is billed at rates comparable to the upper slabs in Nagpur. “At a time when Mihan is being projected as an upcoming IT hub, residents are being forced to pay a premium for a basic necessity,” Birole said. Other residents highlighted broader civic challenges, including the absence of functional water connections in some societies.#nagpur_municipal_corporation #maharashtra_airport_development_company #mihan #deepak_birole #rk_dube
