Mumbai: Pipeline bursts and leakages might soon become a thing of the past as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) aims to complete its ambitious project of replacing the British-era Tansa water pipelines by the end of this year. While the pipelines outside the city have been replaced almost entirely, the civic body has expedited the replacement works of old Tansa pipelines within the city. According to civic officials, Tansa Lake, which is located in Thane district, supplies 485 million litres to Mumbai daily.
To get water supply from Tansa, the BMC has set up a water supply network consisting of big pipelines. However, these pipelines, which were laid more than 100 years ago during the British regime, have become weak and fragile over the years. Due to the wear and tear of old and aging mains, they develop bursts and leakages resulting in the loss of lakhs of litres of water every year. To prevent it, the BMC has undertaken a replacement and restoration project of Tansa pipelines.
The project was expected to be completed by the year 2012. However, it has been delayed by various factors like busy traffic, encroachments etc. “ Since we have to carry out pipeline replacement works underground, they have to be done with proper co-ordination of traffic police without disturbing the traffic. But due to heavy traffic, the process is getting delayed,” said deputy municipal commissioner Ramesh Bamble.
He cited the example of two major ongoing works of Tansa pipeline works in the city – at Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Marg and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road. “Since Kidwai Marg is four-lane road, we received the traffic permission easily as one entire lane was kept closed for the replacement works. However, since Ambedkar Road is a narrow , we have to first complete the work on one stretch, then repair it with paver blocks and start another stretch,” he said.
