Private Tankers : A Legitimate Solution to Delhi's Water Woes?

Delhi has seen the rise of a parallel industry in water supply: the private water tankers or the ‘tanker mafia,' which have filled a large portion of the gap between demand and supply. This paper explores the mechanism of their operation, and the illegalities involved in this business. This paper also attempts to look into the results of legalisation of this market. One of the key findings of this paper is that the efficiency of operation and water being an essential utility has garnered acceptance to these operators. Furthermore, legalisation will ensure accountability, both towards the government and towards the customers