Donakonda people in Prakasam fetch water by rail

Donakonda in Prakasam district, which would have been part of the Andhra Pradesh capital had a central point been chosen to locate it, is using the Railways to fetch drinking water from nearby Gajjalakonda, 20 km away. Donakonda is now going through the throes of water scarcity and common people are using the railway passenger and express trains to fetch small quantities of water from far. Donakonda depends on water supply from the Chandavaram summer storage tank. But since the tank has gone dry this summer, they are depending on the Railways. The region should have experienced monsoon rainfall 3 days ago, but with the South-West Monsoon playing truant after showing initial promise, the people are continuing to fetch water from far. They use plastic vessels for carrying water because those are handy. They use the Guntur-Guntakal route trains to quench their thirst. The people have been doing so for the past 3 weeks. If the Railways could deploy rail tankers like they did to reach water to the parched Marathwada districts of Jalgaon and other places, it would be beneficial. But the South-Central Railway authorities and the people's representatives are not moving in the matter. It's a common sight to see people carrying plastic vessels at Donakonda railway station.