A significant water pipeline failure on Wednesday plunged parts of Nagpur into chaos, causing extensive waterlogging and major traffic snarls near the busy Zero Mile metro station. The incident has exposed the vulnerabilities of the city's aging water infrastructure.
Double Trouble: Two Major Leaks Hit Nagpur
The primary and more severe leakage was detected on a main feeder line near Zero Mile metro station, a crucial artery supplying water to the Sitabuldi and Omkar Nagar zones. This area is critically important as it also services several major hospitals. In a separate incident, another pipeline on Hill Top road in Ram Nagar was damaged by a road roller engaged in street repair works.
Repair Challenges Amidst Busy Corridor
The leaking pipeline at Zero Mile is nearly 30 years old and is buried deep underground in one of Nagpur's busiest traffic corridors. This location posed a significant hurdle for the Orange City Water (OCW) technical teams who rushed to the site with heavy machinery, including JCBs and compressor breakers. Officials faced difficulty accessing the 500 mm diameter pipeline.
To minimize public inconvenience, repair work was strategically suspended during the afternoon peak hours and resumed late at night when traffic density reduced. According to officials, the complex repair work is likely to continue until Thursday noon.
Widespread Water Supply Disruption
The twin leaks have led to a direct impact on water supply for residents across multiple localities. While work on the Hill Top road damage has begun, water supply will remain affected for residents of Hill Top, Pandhrabodi, Jai Nagar, and Seva Nagar. The leakage on the main feeder line further compounds the city's water woes, affecting the Sitabuldi and adjoining areas.
The incidents underscore the pressing need for systematic upgrades to Nagpur's decades-old water distribution network, especially in high-density zones, to prevent recurrent disruptions and infrastructural failures.
