Delhi Moments | Machine Ka Thanda Paani

With the onset of summer, the unkind sun is upon us again. Respite from the blistering heat for people on the Delhi streets come in the form of banta soda, shikanji, sherbets, and, of course, water.

As I walked through CP, I looked out for the ‘machine ka thanda pani’ stalls, almost in vain. Just as I was about to give in to the temptations of bottled water, I found a refrigerated water cart.

I went to the vendor and asked him for a glass of water. In these times of inflation, even the price of a single glass of water has gone up to Rs.2. Earlier, a rupee could fetch us two glasses of chilled water.

Nowadays, people take packaged drinking water. They think it is expensive and hence, it must be safer but they do not know that these also take water from authorized plants. Water purity does not depend on its price tag.

Although now to cater to a differentiated market (packaged drinking water & machine ka thanda pani), Delhi has ‘hybrid carts’ where vendors sell mineral and machine water.

 

Advertisement