Is the future here already?

In the bustling metropolises of Delhi and Bengaluru, a crisis is unfolding that seems ripped from the pages of science fiction.

- ABHIJEET KUMAR

As taps run dry and groundwater levels plummet, millions of residents are grappling with a stark reality water, once taken for granted, has become a precious commodity.

Delhi, in particular, has been oscillating between severe water shortages and flooding with the first rains of the year's monsoon. Similarly, Bengaluru, the country's tech hub, is staring at the prospect of running out of water by 2025, as its aquifers dry up and the Cauvery river, its primary water source, dwindles.

Visuals of people chasing water tankers in Delhi and reports of the tanker mafia in Bengaluru have dominated social media feeds. In response, both city governments have imposed fines on residents for misusing drinking water, such as for washing cars. In Bengaluru, the government's collection of fines amounted to lakhs of rupees.