Water Woes Hit East Nagpur As Pipelines Get Damaged

Time of India

24-04-2025

Nagpur: Over 400 families in Kamna Nagar and adjoining areas of East Nagpur are reeling under a severe water crisis after pipelines laid under private plots as part of the AMRUT 2.0 project were damaged during subsequent construction activities.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The issue came to light after residents began posting videos of their daily struggles to fetch water, prompting Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) water works department to launch an investigation. Shockingly, officials found that although many households were charged for water supply, no water was reaching them for weeks.
Investigations revealed that the pipelines, laid a couple of years ago, passed under layout plots which were later built upon, damaging the lines and cutting off supply to several homes.
In a further lapse, NMC officials admitted they have no clear records or maps to confirm whether the pipelines were laid by the civic body or Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), making repairs even more challenging.
"The original pipeline crossed through the layout. Once buildings came up, the lines got damaged. Now, we're laying bypass lines to restore supply," an official said, adding that the work is expected to be completed within a fortnight.
Meanwhile, the civic body has deployed three tankers to supply water to affected areas, but residents say this is woefully inadequate, especially in the soaring summer heat.
Former corporator Sheshrao Gotmare confirmed the crisis and said that despite regular tanker supply, even minor disruptions in canal pumping created chaos. "There's a serious water problem in the area, and we've been working on it for the last three months.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
The pipeline is already laid, and the joint will be completed soon," he told TOI. He added that approvals for road crossings and contractor bill finalisations delayed the project earlier, but those hurdles are now cleared.
Gotmare claimed that 25 to 30 tankers are dispatched daily from his end, with an additional 10 to 15 routed by other officials. He rejected allegations that tanker operators were demanding money, saying, "People may give small tips voluntarily, it's not a fee."
Water for the tankers is being sourced from tanks near Kamla Market and Wanjari Nagar, serving neighbourhoods including Kamla Nagar, Bela Nagar, and Lakshmi Nagar. Gotmare said he personally monitors the distribution lists every morning to prioritise families in urgent need.
With the summer picking up pace and the temperature seeing a rise daily, frustration also grows among the affected residents.
The residents continue to demand a permanent solution and greater transparency from civic agencies, questioning how such critical infrastructure could be so poorly planned, managed and documented.