The Kolkata water crisis deepened on Wednesday after the Kolkata Municipal Corporation shut a leak-ridden 72-inch pipeline serving north Kolkata, leaving residents without tap water for at least seven hours and prompting the deployment of more than 200 tankers across four civic boroughs.
The shutdown followed leaks that had inundated parts of Banamali Sarkar Street, Ghosh Bagan and Ghoshpara on Monday morning. Although households in Belgachia and Tallah continued receiving water through the pipeline, civic engineers decided to empty it fully before diverting supply through an alternative channel, according to KMC officials.
“The taps went completely dry after 9.30am on Wednesday. KMC officials said the disruption would last several hours but did not give us a timeline for restoration. The water in our underground reservoirs is at its lowest,” said Ajit Baran Ghosh, a resident of Tara Sankar Sarani in Tallah.
KMC officials said the alternative supply arrangement was expected to be completed by Thursday night. Tankers were sent to Belgachia, Kumartuli, Shyampukur, Bidhan Sarani and Nimtalla, with demand reported to be highest in parts of central Kolkata. The civic deployment was intended to serve households as well as hospitals and slum settlements across areas of north and central Kolkata and pockets of the south.
Residents said the tankers were insufficient in several neighbourhoods. Local organisations, including Kumartuli Seva Samity, arranged additional tankers as the shortage continued. Some residents bought bottled water, while others went to the Ganges for bathing. The disruption also affected Bhai Phonta celebrations, with residents reporting that drinking water was difficult to obtain.
The episode has exposed the dependence of several densely populated neighbourhoods on ageing civic water infrastructure. The damaged pipeline has been described by residents as dating back to the British era, while the immediate repair required the city to suspend normal supply rather than carry out a localised fix without interruption.
The response also highlighted the importance of timely public communication during utility failures. Residents questioned the absence of a clear restoration timeline and sought regular updates as underground reservoirs emptied and tanker queues formed. The civic authorities had not indicated how long the emergency diversion would remain in place beyond the expected completion of work on Thursday night.
The water leak also affected transport infrastructure near Tallah. Although the railway tracks were spared further inundation after water stopped gushing from the damaged pipeline, Circular Railway services remained suspended on Wednesday. A senior Eastern Railway official said services were expected to resume on Thursday, although the line was also scheduled to close from 4pm for Kali Puja immersion-related arrangements.
KMC officials’ next stated milestone is the completion of the water-supply diversion by Thursday night, while Eastern Railway is expected to review the resumption of Circular Railway services on Thursday.
