Pipeline burst
Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Pipeline burst Nagpur: With the city heading towards imminent water cuts in the coming weeks, wastage caused by pipeline damage during road, cable and other utility works has emerged as a major concern for Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
Data from Orange City Water Limited (OCWL) shows that 147 such incidents were recorded in 2025. In the first nine months of 2026, the number reached 117, nearly 80% of last year’s total, resulting in the wastage of thousands of litres of water. A recent incident in Prabhag 23 brought the issue into focus after a private contractor laying cables for a telecom company damaged a water pipeline. Repairs took nearly 24 hours. NMC’s Right to Services information lists road-cutting permission under the Hotmix department, with a prescribed service period of 30 days. INFO TEXT | THIRD-PARTY PIPELINE DAMAGE 2026 incidents: 117 Period: Jan 1–Sept 30, 2026 2025 incidents: 147 2026 pace: Nearly 13 incidents every month Agencies involved: Road, cable, sewerage & utility contractors Key concern: Treated water wastage + supply disruption Another risk: Pipeline damage can lead to sewage contamination Recent cases: Vijay Nagar, Ashi Nagar, Lakadganj, Chinchbhavan & East Nagpur Serious contamination case: MSEDCL cable work damaged water connections in a sewer chamber at Prabhat Nagar, causing sewage contamination Repeated damage: A 400mm pipeline on Kamptee Road was damaged for the third time during cement-road work. Major incident: A borewell drilling machine punctured a 1,200mm raw-water pipeline feeding Kanhan WTP, affecting a system carrying nearly 65% of the plant’s raw water 2025 warning: OCWL reported seven pipeline-damage incidents at different locations within four days last June You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Nagpur | Silver Rate in Nagpur | Bank Holidays in Nagpur | Public Holidays in Nagpur | Petrol Price in Nagpur | Diesel Price in Nagpur | CNG Price in Nagpur | LPG Price in Nagpur Stay updated with the latest Nagpur news.
In several cases, contractors carrying out cable laying, road construction, sewerage or other underground utility works allegedly fail to coordinate with NMC’s water works department or OCWL before excavation. This increases the risk of damaging existing pipelines and, in some cases, contaminating drinking water. Experts have blamed poor coordination among agencies, warning that unplanned digging could worsen drought conditions in Nagpur and surrounding areas and aggravate drinking water scarcity. The contractor allegedly neither informed NMC or OCWL nor restored the dug-up stretch promptly. The pipeline was repaired only after residents approached corporator Santosh Laddha. Her inquiry also found that the agency had not obtained the required NOCs from the water works department and OCWL before starting the work. In June, a fibre-optic cable-laying agency damaged a 300mm feeder main near Bidgaon T-Point, affecting water supply and pressure in several areas of Lakadganj. In another incident, a contractor damaged a 400mm DI pipeline near Gamdoor Bar during cement-road construction. It was reportedly the third time a pipeline had been damaged at the same stretch. The problem has also had public-health implications. In September, NMC informed the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court that MSEDCL cable-laying work in Prabhat Nagar had damaged two water connections passing through a sewer chamber, resulting in sewage contamination of drinking water. The repeated incidents raise questions over whether road-cutting permissions are adequately linked to underground utility maps and mandatory clearances before excavation begins. Download the TOI App.