Daily Pipeline Damage in Besa-Pipla Due to Infrastructure Work
Frequent digging in Nagpur's Besa-Pipla area leads to daily disruptions in drinking water supply, raising concerns among residents.
Five cases of pipeline damage reported daily in Besa-Pipla.
Lack of coordination between agencies exacerbates water supply issues.
Old pipelines are vulnerable due to ongoing infrastructure developments.
In the rapidly developing Besa-Pipla region of Nagpur, officials from Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) report that at least five incidents of drinking-water pipeline damage occur each day. This ongoing issue highlights the adverse effects of continuous road digging and infrastructure projects on the local water supply network.
The affected areas include Besa, Pipla, Beltarodi, Ghogli, and Shankarpur, where multiple construction activities such as roadworks, stormwater drains, and sewerage systems are being carried out simultaneously. MJP officials noted that these pipeline breaks often lead to water supply disruptions lasting several hours, compounding the challenges faced by residents. A previous incident saw a pipeline supplying water to several villages damaged during stormwater drain construction, resulting in the wastage of lakhs of litres of water.
Local residents express frustration over the lack of coordination among the various agencies involved in these projects. Sonu Karmakar from Ghogli stated that the repeated digging for road and drainage works is damaging water lines and disrupting supply, emphasizing that water is a priority for the community. Prasanjeet Dutta from Besa pointed out that the issue has persisted for years, as agencies frequently overlook existing pipelines when planning their works.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the installation of new infrastructure over existing utilities. Reports indicate that some water pipelines are being placed beneath or alongside stormwater drains, with concrete roads constructed above them. This arrangement poses a significant challenge for future repairs, as any pipeline failure would necessitate digging up the newly built roads.
The Besa-Pipla belt has previously experienced severe water shortages, with residents of a nearby housing society facing a week-long crisis earlier this year. Bharat Nandanwar, an NP CO, explained that the recurring damage is partly due to MJP's pipelines being over a decade old, originally installed when roads were narrower. As the area transitions into a suburban region, road widening has become necessary, often leading to conflicts with existing pipelines. Nandanwar stated that MJP is willing to relocate pipelines as needed, but emphasized that the agency responsible for damaging a pipeline must ensure its prompt repair. Furthermore, sources indicate that gram panchayats often lack accurate records of pipeline locations, increasing the risk of damage during excavation work.
