A 72-inch drinking-water pipeline burst near Tala Bridge in north Kolkata on Monday morning, flooding nearby roads and railway lines and raising the possibility of reduced water supply across several parts of the city. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation began emergency repair and dewatering work, while Eastern Railway announced cancellations and route changes because water accumulated on lines near Kolkata station.
The underground pipeline burst at around 8.30 am near Tala railway gate, directly below or close to Tala Bridge. The line, which passes through the Tala rail yard, is an old British-era pipeline with a diameter of approximately 72 inches. It normally carries drinking water from the Tala reservoir to different parts of Kolkata.
Water began gushing out shortly after the rupture, leaving roads in the surrounding area submerged. Some stretches, including parts of Bonmali Sarkar Street and nearby localities, reportedly had knee-deep water. The administration temporarily disconnected electricity in Bonmali Sarkar Street as a precaution while the flooded area was being brought under control.
Municipal workers began emergency operations during the morning. Large pumps were deployed after the afternoon to remove accumulated water, and the municipal corporation said that water had receded from almost all affected areas by the evening. Electricity supply was also restored, providing some relief to residents who had been left without power while roads remained waterlogged.
The more extensive concern is the impact on drinking-water distribution. The municipal corporation warned that supply could be affected in Chitpur Road and surrounding areas including Chittaranjan Avenue, Rajabazar, Park Circus, AJC Bose Road, the College Street area, Bidhan Sarani, Ballygunge and Kasba. No major citywide drinking-water crisis had been reported by Monday evening, although some residents were said to have experienced lower-than-usual water flow.
The extent of the disruption was expected to become clearer from Tuesday morning. Municipal authorities said repairs to the damaged pipeline had begun and that normal conditions could take one or two days to return. Residents were asked to cooperate, avoid wasting drinking water and store water during the repair period. Some residents, however, expressed concern that full restoration could take longer than the municipal estimate.
The rupture also affected railway infrastructure. Water accumulated on the stable-yard line near Kolkata station and on the Circular Railway line. Several trains were cancelled on Monday, and Eastern Railway issued advance information that services in the affected section could remain disrupted on Tuesday.
The services cancelled for Tuesday included the Majerhat–Barasat, Barasat–Majerhat and Dattapukur–Majerhat local trains. Some services were to be diverted from Dum Dum towards Sealdah without travelling through Kolkata station, while others were to run only up to Barasat. A few train journeys were also expected to be curtailed at Dum Dum Cantonment.
The municipal corporation’s immediate priorities are to complete repairs to the ageing pipeline, restore drinking-water distribution and ensure that the flooded railway section becomes operational. The railway and civic authorities are continuing to monitor the affected areas while repair work proceeds.
