The Tallah pipeline leak has disrupted drinking-water pressure across large parts of Kolkata, flooded sections of railway tracks and forced the civic body to deploy pumps, tankers and an alternative pipeline while engineers work to repair the damaged 72-inch water main.
Engineers of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation worked through Tuesday to divert drinking water around the leaking section of the British-era pipeline. Senior KMC officials said the repair was likely to be completed by Thursday night, although engineers at the site cautioned that the timeline could extend because the pipe is buried nearly four metres underground and remains difficult to access.
The leak became apparent early on Monday after water from the pipeline flooded parts of Banamali Sarkar Street, Ghosh Bagan and Ghoshpara. Water continued to gush out near Tallah railway station, where the KMC deployed five pumps to drain the affected areas and prevent further inundation of the tracks.
The civic body has been laying an alternative pipeline to maintain supply to the main distribution network. A KMC official said the temporary arrangement involved smaller-diameter lines, resulting in lower water pressure. The official added that engineers were attempting to connect a pipeline beneath Manmatha Dutta Road, next to the Tallah water tank, to the leaking old pipe to improve supply.
The disruption was felt beyond Tallah, with parts of north, central and south Kolkata reporting reduced water pressure through Tuesday. The KMC had warned that neighbourhoods including Central Avenue, Rajabazar, Park Circus, College Street, Bidhan Sarani, Ballygunge and Kasba could be affected.
The incident also exposed the logistical pressure created when a major water main fails in a dense city. The KMC arranged water tankers to cover the shortfall, but residents in several areas said the number of tankers was inadequate. Ujjal Saha, a resident of Raja Nabakrishna Street in Sovabazar, told The Telegraph that only one tanker had reached his locality and that some residents were being forced to buy drinking water.
As complaints increased, urban development minister Agnimitra Paul announced a helpline for residents facing water-supply problems. Residents can call or WhatsApp 9831127522 to register complaints. Paul said residents had reported low pressure and an insufficient number of tankers, and acknowledged that the disruption had created particular difficulties during the festive season.
The pipeline failure also affected railway operations. With stretches of the Tallah tracks submerged, the railways made large-scale adjustments to circular railway services, diverting trains via Kankurgachi and Ballygunge to keep the north-south link operational.
Minister of state for urban development Umesh Rai, KMC commissioner Smita Pandey and local MLA Ritesh Tiwari visited the site. The immediate response remains focused on restoring the damaged pipeline, maintaining drinking-water flows through temporary connections, draining the railway area and addressing complaints until normal supply is restored.
