New Delhi, Apr 6 (IANS): With hundreds of Delhi areas dependent on Delhi Jal Board tankers for daily supply of potable water, the scene nowadays around tankers supplying the elixer of life amid the coronavirus lockdown is in stark contrast to what it was during normal times.

Earlier, people used to mill around the taps on the tanker and shoulder their way through the crowd to fill their buckets and pots. But now, thanks largely to a Police Constable accompanying each tanker, people willingly or otherwise have to maintain the mandatory social distancing.

"The DJB is following all social distancing norms and ensuring that people do not gather around the tankers in groups. We ensure that policemen accompany the tankers to ensure that people stand in queues at mandated distance from each other," a DJB official told IANS.

As for the safety of DJB workers, the official said the department has given face masks and gloves to all its staff.

"The DJB has also trained staff on how to wash hands thoroughly and frequently, maintaining distance from each other and not touching their faces."

While the DJB is supplying piped water to about 93 per cent of the city, about seven per cent of the area is dependent on the tankers for their daily water supply.

The area where the piped water cannot reach are mostly unauthorised colonies or JJ slum clusters where, according to the DJB, it was not feasible to deliver piped water.

According to government data, about 675 JJ clusters and 100 unauthorised colonies in the city are yet to get piped water supply.

Now, with a large population living in Delhi government's night shelters, the DJB is also supplying water to these shelters as well.