Out of 20 Water ATMs in Guwahati, 13 are out of service

• Image Credit: Internet

• Apr 2, 2022 | Poonam Nath

A water ATM is an automated water device that dispenses fresh drinking water when a coin or note is deposited into it.

Digital Desk: Water is one of the essential sources needed in day to day life. To make Guwahati city's people rest assured of drinking pure water; Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL) built thirteen of the twenty water ATMs in 2018, with a budget of Rs. 2 crores for the comfort of citizens, particularly during the summer, which have been inoperable for the past few months.

Residents complained that the project was a waste of taxpayer funds. "The taxpayers' money should have been better spent on preventing crime by putting streetlights or CCTV cameras around the city." Instead, taxpayers' money has been squandered due to ATM malfunctions," commented Gautam Hazarika, a Panbazar resident.

A water ATM is an automated water vending machine that distributes pure drinking water when a coin or note is entered. A water vending machine functions similarly to a traditional bank ATM, except that it dispenses water rather than cash. 250 ml of water costs Rs 1,1 litres costs Rs 5, 5 litres costs Rs 10, and 20 litres costs Rs 25.

"The water ATM, which had remained dysfunctional for several months, was removed from the location in December last year after the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) gave the contract to a third party for its maintenance," said Bapan Saikia, who was the caretaker of the water ATM installed near the Nakkata Pukhuri at Panbazar in the city since 2018.

He stated the GMDA paid him Rs 9,160 per month to look after the water ATM around the clock. However, he left the job because the third party had only given Rs 6,000 per month last year. He went on to say that the average daily revenues at the above mentioned ATM were between Rs 500 and Rs 600.

On Friday, the ATM in front of the Mohendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital (MMCH) was discovered broken. Still, the ATMs on the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) campus were operational.

Water ATMs have been placed in 20 different locations throughout the city, including the GMCH, MMCH, Dr B Barooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Regional Science Centre at Khanapara, and Assam State Zoo and Botanical Garden.

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