CUTTACK: Panic gripped residents of CDA locality after a gas pipeline of the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) ruptured during soil digging works near a petrol pump in Sector-6 here on Monday morning.
As per reports, the incident occurred at around 10.20 am. Eyewitnesses said, gas started leaking up to a height of 30 to 40 ft, creating a highly dangerous situation. However, no fire incident was reported.
On seeing thick plumes of gas leaking out from the pipeline, panicked roadside vegetable vendors fled the spot leaving their belongings while nearby shops shut down.
On receiving information, a technical team of GAIL reached the spot and closed the valve, blocking the leak. Fire services personnel were also called in and police cordoned the site for public safety. After plugging the gas leak, the GAIL team initiated necessary repair works.
Meanwhile, residents of Sector-9 locality faced inconvenience as supply of the cooking gas was halted throughout the period. “We could not prepare our meals for lunch and had to buy food from outside,” said some residents. The gas supply was restored around 3 pm after completion of repair works.
The locals demanded that the incident be probed and necessary action taken against the person concerned for carrying out the digging work despite clear indications that a gas pipeline had been laid underground.
City Gas Distribution, Cuttack DGM, Har Gopal Gadi said the soil digging work was being illegally carried out by the owner of the petrol pump for expansion of the unit without seeking necessary permission or informing GAIL.