India, March 26 -- At a time when Bengaluru residents dependent on private water tankers are grappling with rising costs this summer, areas with newly established Cauvery water connections have seen a sharp decline in demand for tankers.

However, such areas remain limited, as the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) struggles to meet its ambitious targets under the Cauvery Stage V project, The Hindu reported.

According to a report by the publication, BWSSB had set a goal of providing over four lakh Cauvery water connections across 110 villages, but data reveals that only around 83,000 connections have been granted so far, less than a quarter of the target.

Of these, 55,000 connections were secured years before the project'...