Mumbai: Contractor yet to be issued notice for city’s water woes

The 2.5 metre diameter water pipeline was damaged twice

Even after the main water supply line for Mumbai was damaged twice in the same month at the same stretch, leading to major disruptions in the city's water supply, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is yet to issue a notice to the contractor concerned. This is despite 15 days having passed after the second rupture at the pipeline.

Two leaks had occurred at a stretch of the pipeline at Kopri in Thane, within two metres of each other. The first instance was on March 3 and due to the resultant repair work, water supply was slashed by 10 per cent in the city between March 9 and March 11. The second leak was reported on March 30, and repair work on the 2.5 metre-diameter pipeline was carried out in the first week of April.

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Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said, "The chief engineer has submitted his report regarding the incidents, which mentions negligence on part of the contractor and consultant concerned. A notice will be issued next week."

The main line near the Kopri bridge was damaged on March 30, while work on an elevated bridge was underway under the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS). The TMC-hired contractor was carrying out excavation work when the mishap occurred. Earlier, the same pipeline was damaged during the same project by the same contractor.

Officials admitted that while the first instance might have been an accident as the pipeline curves at the spot in question, digging at the same stretch one month later seems to be a case of negligence.