The Water for All policy rolled out by the BMC on May 1, to ensure water connection to even illegal slums, has had little to no impact even after a month and a half. Though ward officers seemed positive in the first two weeks, the picture changed after that, claimed slum residents and activists. Even the civic body has no data on how any connections have been approved so far.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had first sanctioned the ‘Water for All’ policy in 2016 following a December 2014 order of the Bombay High Court which stated that water supply is a fundamental right irrespective of whether the house was legal or illegal. But, the BMC policy put several terms for the implementation of the policy and only a handful of slum dwellers actually received the connection. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, ahead of the civic elections, announced the policy again, with much more flexibility.