GUWAHATI: A major water supply pipe ruptured in Guwahati’s Kharguli area on Thursday, leaving a trail of devastation.
Water kept gushing out at high speed for about an hour and reached a height of 20 to 30 metres. According to eyewitnesses, six residential houses besides some shops and vehicles were damaged.
Kharguli is on the south bank of the Brahmaputra. At least three other such incidents occurred along the stretch in the past two years.
Officials blamed a “pressure surge” for Thursday’s incident. The commissioning of a surge protection tank at the Kharguli Water Treatment Plant was scheduled for January 3.
The Guwahati Jal Board said the “unforeseen rupture” occurred in the transmission main water supply pipeline. Following the incident, the board announced a three-day suspension of water supply from January 3 to 5.
Directed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah visited the site and took stock of the situation. He held discussions with the authorities concerned and local residents regarding the current situation and future strategies.
He assured that a scientific investigation would be conducted into the incident to ensure appropriate remedial measures to deal with such situations in the future.
Baruah directed the district administration to provide adequate compensation to the affected individuals after reviewing the damages caused by the incident.