Kolkata’s water supply resumed through an alternative pipeline in areas affected by the Tala water-main burst from around 11am on Thursday, but residents continued to report low pressure and intermittent flow. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation said the system would take a few more days to return to normal while repairs to the original pipeline continue.
The drinking-water pipeline burst on Monday morning near the Tala railway gate, beneath Tala Bridge, flooding nearby roads and railway tracks. Although the surface water later receded, the damage disrupted supply across large parts of north and central Kolkata and some areas in the south. In some neighbourhoods, residents received little or no water after the incident.
The affected areas included Tala, Shobhabazar, Kumartuli, Bagbazar, Maniktala, Bagmari, Entally, Girish Park, Ahiritola and Sealdah. Water supply was also disrupted in parts of AJC Bose Road, Ballygunge and Kasba in south Kolkata. On Wednesday, water problems were still being reported in areas including Sonagachi Lane, Durgacharan Mitra Street, Imam Box Lane, Natherbagan and Sheikhpara in wards 18 and 19.
The civic body arranged water tankers across north, central and south Kolkata as the disruption continued and advised residents with urgent requirements to contact its designated helpline. However, residents said tankers did not reach several locations despite calls. The municipal authorities responded that it was not possible to send water vehicles to all areas simultaneously.
According to the municipal corporation, 800 tankers had been arranged across six borough areas up to 7pm on Wednesday. The civic helpline received 480 complaints, of which 338 were reported as resolved. The response has taken place amid an unsettled civic administrative situation in Kolkata, with no mayor or mayor-in-council currently in place, and the municipal corporation attributing difficulties in coordinating tanker distribution partly to the absence of elected councillors in the affected areas.
Residents said the resumption of supply brought only partial relief. Bagbazar resident Sourav De told Anandabazar that water returned to his household at about 11am on Thursday but did not continue for long. He said the water was cloudy and that supply resumed again around 4pm, although pressure remained low.
The municipal authorities are continuing work on the original pipeline while gradually increasing water pressure through the alternative arrangement. The corporation has said that supply will require several more days to become fully normal, making the progress of the remaining repair work and the reliability of tanker distribution the immediate operational issues for affected residents.
