BENGALURU: Fear gripped Malleswaram on Thursday evening, after a GAIL gas pipeline was accidentally damaged during ongoing civic work by the BWSSB.
The incident occurred during excavation activities on 8th Main, leading to a significant gas leak that caused considerable panic in the neighborhood. According to residents, the leak occurred between 5.30 and 5.45 pm, when a loud noise was heard, followed by a strong smell of pungent gas spreading through the area. “There was a loud sound, and when we stepped out of our homes to check, we were hit by an overwhelming stench of gas,” said Lakshmi Phadke, a resident who dialed the GAIL complaints number. She added, “There was real fear that a spark or fire could cause a disaster. We switched off the lights in the house, fearing it could cause a fire. The odour was unbearable and alarming.”
The situation was especially concerning for Malleshwaram’s substantial elderly population. With several roads already dug up for various civic works, residents were unable to move their vehicles and felt trapped in their homes. “This area has at least one lakh senior citizens, and with roads dug up everywhere, most of us couldn’t even drive out if we wanted to evacuate,” another resident, Vijaya Shenoy, said, adding, “It was an extremely tense situation, because some roads are dug up so badly that it is even dangerous for anyone to walk, owing to the rain and soft mud.”
Adding to the residents’ distress, the gas leak disrupted domestic CNG supply. Many homes in the area have transitioned from LPG to piped CNG for cooking. Following the leak, GAIL officials reportedly shut down the supply to prevent further risk. “What do we cook, what do we eat?” asked another resident. “We’ve surrendered our LPG connections and now even the CNG is cut off. We feel completely helpless,” she said.
No injuries or fire incidents were reported, but residents have demanded immediate action from the civic authorities and the gas company to ensure better coordination during infrastructure work.
Emergency repair work was initiated by GAIL technicians late in the evening.