Water pipeline bursts during monorail work

Water supply to parts of Sion, Antop Hill and Matunga was affected on Thursday after a 26-inch diametre drinking water pipeline burst late Wednesday night, while work was being carried out on the monorail project at Antop Hill. HT reports.

Water supply to parts of Sion, Antop Hill and Matunga was affected on Thursday after a 26-inch diametre drinking water pipeline burst late Wednesday night, while work was being carried out on the monorail project at Antop Hill.

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Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials said they have been unable to assess the quantity of water lost.

Ramesh Bambale, BMC’s hydraulic engineer said, “Water will be supplied to these localities on Friday, but the supply hours will change in Sion and Antop Hill areas. We will try to minimise the inconvenience caused to residents.”

At the civic standing committee on Thursday, civic officials blamed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) contractor for the incident.

The MMRDA is the nodal authority for the monorail project, which is being built by a group of private companies.

“Civic officials had informed the contractor about the underground water pipe but they continued to carry out digging work. In the process, they damaged the pipeline,” said Rajiv Jalota, additional municipal commissioner.

Jalota said the BMC has asked the MMRDA to compensate it for damages incurred.

Shiv Sena local corporator Mangesh Satamkar said, “These incidents occur due to poor coordination between the MMRDA and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). MMRDA should take stern action against the contractor.”

Dilip Kawathkar, joint project director, MMRDA, refuted the allegations.“The pipeline did not burst because of the MMRDA’s work,” he said.