Pipeline bursts in Lalbaug, water cuts across south Mumbai

Officials said the leakage would be repaired and water supply will be restored by Saturday morning

A 1,200-mm British era water pipeline below Lalbaug flyover burst at 5.05am on Friday, affecting the water supply at Dadar, Wadala, Matunga, Sion, Prabhadevi and some parts of south Mumbai, Ghatkopar and Chembur.

BMC workers at the spot in Lalbaug on Friday. (Bhushan Koyande/HTPhoto)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said the leakage will be repaired and water supply will be normalised by Saturday morning.

During routine inspection, the hydraulic department team found a leakage in the British-era pipeline.

The supply was stopped to replace the damaged portion. After beginning the repair work, the officials found a bigger crack below the Tansa pipeline at Sant Jagnade Chowk in Lalbaug.

Earlier, civic officials had expected the water supply to be restored by Friday evening. It is now expected that the water supply will be restored by Saturday morning.

The cause of the crack in the pipeline is not yet known.

“When our team inspected the leakage, we found a bigger crack,” said a hydraulic engineer.

Residents complained about absence of alert from the BMC.

Janaki Venkateswaran, an 80-year-old resident of Vasant building, Matunga, said, “We were not even informed about the water cuts. We will have to go to a relative’s place as there is no water in the house.”