NAGPUR: In yet another
case proving private water operator Orange City Water Limited’s (OCWL)
inefficiency in water works, engineers from the company have failed to
locate a water pipeline for over 10 months. This has resulted in
unaccountable loss of potable water and threat to a flyover’s structure.
Now, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), in association with OCWL, is planning another solution to correct the first ‘solution’ in the case.

TOI was the first to highlight massive water leakage under Sitabuldi
flyover’s retaining wall structure on June 30. After a series of
stories, including opinion from structural engineers about chance of
threat to flyover’s structure, NMC planned a new water pipeline from
Morris college T-point to Panchsheel square, to bypass the stretch of pipeline below the flyover.

Meanwhile, OCWL laid a pipe to let the leaking water flow into a storm
water drain. The new pipeline was laid after a long delay, stretching to
some distance beyond Jhansi Rani square. However, no work was
undertaken to stop the actual leak, resulting in water loss continuing.
The leaking water soon started to flow on the road at Variety Square
again, creating chaos and drawing the attention of NMC and OCWL
officials.

A visit to the site reveals a shocking picture with
gallons of potable water still going waste below the flyover round the
clock. Besides, OCWL is yet to connect the new pipeline with the leaking
pipeline at Morris college T-point and Panchsheel square.

Asked about the status of work, NMC officiating executive engineer
Azizur Reham told TOI OCWL could not identify the pipeline below the
flyover to correct the problems. “Even NMC staffers have no idea about
the pipelines as they are very old. We are planning is to connect new
pipeline at Variety square to stop leakage, and work is expected to
begin from Monday,” he said.

The work is expected to take a long time and will end up abandoning the new pipeline worth lakhs laid beyond Variety square.