The city’s infrastructure is under severe strain because of population pressure . This has a direct bearing on quality of life, which has been deteriorating over the years despite prosperity levels going up. If the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is to be believed, things will only get worse.The civic body has estimated a massive jump in the city’s population in the next ten years. From 124.33 lakh at present, it will increase by over 13% to 140.8 lakh by 2021. Thereafter, it will rise by 15.8 lakh to reach 156.6 lakh in 2031. The basis for the estimates is a projected increase in high-rises based on ongoing and proposed redevelopment projects. The predictions are being questioned as population growth in the last decade (2001-2011 ) was just 3.8% (119.78 lakh to 124.33 lakh).The BMC is using the estimates to justify a proposal for increasing water charges. Formulated by the hydraulic department in consultation with the municipal commissioner’s office and the building proposals department, the proposal is before the standing committee.Senior politicians and serving and retired civic officials have raised eyebrows at the estimates and questioning the BMC’s rationale for the water charge hike proposal. About the proposal, the BMC says it will need substantial capital investment in small and big water supply projects to cater to demand. It has listed ongoing and planned projects for the next 14 years, collectively worth Rs 42,000 crore.The civic body has proposed to revise water tax from residential societies from Rs 3.50 to Rs 4 per 1,000 litre; societies with a per capita consumption of over 150 litre per person per day will continue to be charged telescopic rates. As per the proposal, a residential society will end up paying Rs 6 per 1,000 litre on an average. The rates were last revised in 2002, though the BMC adopted the telescopic charging system in 2008. The proposal also includes increasing charges from Rs 2.25 to Rs 3.50 per 1,000 litre for chawls and slums, Rs 18 to Rs 30 per 1,000 litre for commercial establishments, Rs 25 to Rs 40 per 1,000 litre for factories and businesses, and Rs 38 to Rs 60 per 1,000 litre for hotels rated three stars and above. Also, the water supply department, claiming that administrative and maintenance costs were increasing at 8% per year, has sought permission for a natural rate hike of up to 8%. Former BJP group leader Ashish Shelar questioned the population estimates and said the natural rate hike demand was “unconstitutional”. Questioning the size of the capital investment claimed, he called it a “statistical lie”. He said he would launch a signature drive and an online campaign against the proposal in its present form.Standing committee chairman Rahul Shewale said he was analyzing the proposal and was opposed to the “natural hike” suggestion. “We plan to seek citizens’ views on the entire proposal before approving it.” A civic official questioned the BMC’s population estimates and said, “Despite the presence of a number of ongoing redevelopment projects, the island city in fact witnessed a negative population trend in the last decade.”A retired hydraulic department chief, T V Shah, while endorsing the need for a review of the water tax, said some points were being suppressed, including the fact that the water and sewerage budget (Gbudget ) had been a surplus one for a while and that there were deposits worth Rs 12,000 crore in fixed deposits. Shah said that though the BMC claimed that the water supply subsidy was around Rs 1,050 crore, telescopic rates applicable on the middle class and the water and sewerage benefit levies, too, should be taken into account. BMC union leader Sharad Rao indicated he might move court against the proposal, which is likely to face resistance in the standing committee as well.