Karnataka - Bangalore

Roots break water main in Gandhinagar

Staff Reporter

A CESSPOOL OF APATHY: Cauvery water overflowing on the pavement after roots of a tree crushed the main pipe on the First Main Road of Gandhinagar in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

Bangalore: Passers-by wading through the flooded First Main Road, Gandhinagar, on Thursday could have been forgiven if they thought they discovered the root of Bangalore's water problem.

The area resembled a shallow pool after a main water pipe of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) burst.

Narasimha Murthy, an advocate, told The Hindu that he saw the pipe had burst as she was getting to work. "It was around 11.30 a.m. when I called the BWSSB Chairman's office. However, there was no response. I then called another number and lodged a complaint." At a time when parts of the city are not getting regular water supply, he said it pained him to see so much water going waste. "When I called the BWSSB office for the second time, they said they would tend to it immediately. Yet, there was no action until 1.30 p.m. The water from the damaged pipe was flowing steadily from the first Main Road towards K.G. Road and then towards Janata Bazaar and National Market."

He said two rag pickers — Naga and Nandisha — tried to stem the flow by placing stones and stuffing the pipe with rags.

When contacted, a BWSSB engineer said the main had been crushed by tree roots. Since the pipe was severely damaged, the entire pipe was being replaced immediately. "We got the information at around 11.30 a.m. We checked the pipe to assess the damage and decided to replace it."

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