The demonstration by some 300 residents blocked traffic for up three hours on a busy highway, a police spokesman said, adding some of the protesters were arrested.

Municipal authorities in Bombay -- with a population of about 12.5 million people -- recently cut water supplies to residents by about 25 percent to cater for increasing demands, officials said.

The capital New Delhi, with a population of about 13 million people, also reported scarcity of water Tuesday as temperatures soared to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) about four degrees Celsius above normal for this time of year.

According to the Delhi water supply board, water demand is about 800 mega gallons per day but supply is only about 650 mega gallons.

SPACE.WIRE