Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has imposed a penalty of ₹1.33 crore on M/S Eagle Infra India Limited, a contracting firm who had damaged 1800 MM water pipeline at Seepz area on November 30. Because of the pipeline burst, people of five administrative wards of BMC had to be deprived of the potable water for four days. BMC has also sent a copy to MIDC police station of Andheri to take necessary action against M/s Eagle Infra India Limited as per IPC sections in larger public interest.
On Tuesday, BMC issued notice through assistant engineer, water works of K-east ward Andheri to M/s Eagle Infra India Limited, GM/Civil/Mumbai (DMRC) and Director Projects, Metro, MMRDA. In the notice it has been stated that in the year 29 January 2020, a 1800 MM water pipeline was bursted Sariput nagar at JVLR while carrying out the Metro Line work. At that time DMRC and MMRDA were informed regarding the precautions to be taken to avoid any damage to major water lines through letters of executive engineers of water works. Thereafter, a meeting was held among hydraulic engineers with the GM Civil Metro line 06 and the concerned staff to discuss the line of action to avoid such damages in future.
Major disturbance in water supply
However, it is observed that direction given by hydraulic engineers were overlooked by the contractor of DMRC who is M/s Eagle Infra India Limited in the recent incident and damaged 1800 MM diameter pipeline of Veravali reservoir number 03 on JVLR near Indian Oil Petrol Pump Andheri East on November 30. The damage caused huge wastage of water which led to major disturbance in water supply to various parts of Mumbai. There was no water in Andheri east and West, Bandra, Khar, Santacruz, Kurla and Ghatkopar area for four days.
In the year 2015 BMC standing committee had given powers to BMC administration to take penal action against such contractors. Notice directed the contractor to pay the amount immediately and submit the receipt of the same to the ward office.
