Mumbai
BMC is replacing the old and the damaged pipelines in the city with 600m long Tansa pipeline measuring 1500mm in diametre, to prevent pipeline bursts and leakages.
Updated : May 28, 2015, 08:10 AM IST
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has failed to carry out the mandatory water pressure trial for the new water pipeline which replaces an century old pipeline at Dadar TT.
BMC is replacing the old and the damaged pipelines in the city with 600m long Tansa pipeline measuring 1500mm in diametre, to prevent pipeline bursts and leakages. The work is being carried out by the water works department of the central agency of BMC. For this, the entire stretch between Kings Circle and Dadar TT was dug up and barricaded for nearly two months.
The deadline for trench-reinstatement was May 20 before the monsoon arrives. Running behind schedule, BMC filled up the trench and concretised the stretch in a hurry. This was done after completing half of the job and without carrying out the compulsory water pressure trial. According to sources, BMC rules say a water pressure trial is compulsory to check if the pipeline can withstand the water pressure, else it can burst, damaging the road and the flyover above.
Civic sources from BMC said that phase one of the work, which was to set up the 600 m long pipeline, could not be completed before monsoons because of the three months delay that happened while obtaining permissions from the traffic police.
Matunga-based activist Nikhil Desai, who highlighted the issue, said, "It is sad because the lack of coordination between the BMC departments had led to this. If the pipeline cannot take the pressure, it will damage the concrete road and the flyover above it. This is not just misuse of funds but also very risky. BMC is not following its own rules."