Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal's major water supply crisis eased on Friday afternoon after the damaged Kolar pipeline was successfully repaired, restoring drinking water to more than three lakh residents.
The Kolar system supplies nearly 30% of city's population and had remained disrupted for three days due to a major leak in the 1,650-mm gravity pipeline at Banskhedi.
Superintending Engineer Udit Garg said that the repair work was completed by Thursday afternoon, but a heavy rainstorm that hit the city later in the evening damaged the repaired wall.
According to BMC's Water Works Department, repairs were completed by 9 am, after which pumps were restarted and water distribution resumed from 1.30 pm on Friday.
To provide immediate relief, the BMC bypassed the usual process of filling overhead tanks and supplied water directly from the Kolar filter plant to affected areas, including Char Imli, Shivaji Nagar, Tulsi Nagar, Arera Colony and Tila Jamalpura.
Normal supply expected from Saturday
Officials said the city's 68 Kolar storage tanks would now be refilled, allowing the regular water supply schedule to resume from Saturday.
During the disruption, more than 75 localities depended heavily on water tankers. Residents alleged that private tanker operators exploited the situation, charging up to Rs 1,200 per tanker against the usual Rs 300 rate.
Fresh challenge: Narmada pipeline leaks
Even as Kolar services returned to normal, another issue emerged on Ayodhya Bypass, where road construction caused multiple leaks in the Narmada pipeline.
Water supply from Asaram Tiraha to Ratnagiri Tiraha remained suspended on Friday. BMC teams are currently working to repair the damaged sections and restore supply at the earliest.
