Mumbai: Residents of Lalbaug, Ambevadi, CP Tank and Byculla have not received water supply for four days in a row after a 48-inch water pipeline broke because of micro-tunnelling activity undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to lay a stormwater drain pipeline. The BMC has been working to fix this problem for as many days now but there is no solution in sight yet, forcing the F South Ward residents to be at the mercy of water tankers. A 1,800mm stormwater drain pipeline was being set up from Hindamata to Britannia Pumping station. Hindmata is one of the most waterlogging-prone areas in the monsoon. However, during the digging for installation, the drilling machine damaged the water pipeline, according to a hydraulic engineer in the BMC.
“The restoration work is in progress and we plan to fix the water pipeline as early as possible,” said the engineer. However, Shiv Sena corporator Anil Kokil said, “Going by the speed of the work, it is not likely the work will be completed in the next two-three days”. We are providing water tankers for the residents as interim relief, he added. Kokil said, “After restoration of water supply, we ask the contractor to reimburse us for the expenditure on water tankers.”