Over 2,000 people were left stranded on the streets after a major water pipeline burst at Thane’s Wagle Estate region on Saturday afternoon
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced water cuts in island city and suburbs after one of its major pipelines, the Tansa water main, burst in Thane
Over 2,000 people were left stranded on the streets after a major water pipeline burst at Thane’s Wagle Estate region on Saturday afternoon. The incident took place at Shiv Shakti Nagar no 1 at around 2.30 pm. The rupture was reported in one out of the four major water pipelines supplying water to Mumbai. Locals revealed that the impact of the accident was such that 700-800 slums close to the pipeline were left submerged under five feet of water and residents were thrown out of their homes.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced water cuts in island city and suburbs after one of its major pipelines, the Tansa water main, burst in Thane. Pic/Sameer Markande
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Fire officials rushed to the spot, rescuing over 15 people trapped in the incident. One person had to be rushed to the hospital due to his injuries. "We got a call at around 2.40 pm, following which five fire trucks were sent to the spot," said a fire official from the Wagle Estate fire station. Fire officials further pumped out the accumulated water with the help of pumping motors, revealed Santosh Kadam, head of disaster management at Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC).
About 500 families living in the slums have lost their belongings in the incident. Forty-year-old Vaishali Bhalerao, who has been living in the region for the past 30 years, said, "The water pressure was such that it broke the wall of our shanty and my son got caught in the drift. I lost a new refrigerator, and all other belongings, including cash and jewellery, in the incident."
Another resident Ashok Waware, said, “The pressure of the water was beyond our control. I managed to rescue my daughters aged six and 12, but I lost all my belongings.” According to Kadam, more than 2,000 people have been affected. “We have made arrangements for food and shelter for over 4,000 people. We are in the process of examining the exact damage caused due to the burst."
State PWD Minister Eknath Shinde also visited the affected area. Speaking to sunday mid-day he said, "We will set up an enquiry and also ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future. The pipeline belonged to the BMC and over 2,000 people are affected by the incident." Officials from the BMC are attempting to fix the ruptured pipeline. They claim it could take over 12 hours.
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