Jalpaiguri, July 8 -- Even before the AMRUT drinking water project has achieved full coverage in Jalpaiguri town, underground pipelines have begun bursting at several locations, spilling treated water onto roads and raising concerns over the quality of the newly commissioned network.
The latest incident near Railway Level Crossing No. 3 (3 No. Ghumti) on Wednesday caused severe waterlogging, traffic congestion and triggered a blame game between the Jalpaiguri Municipality and the Municipal Engineering Directorate (MED) over repair responsibility.
The affected stretch, connecting Pandapara Road with Kadamtala, is one of the town's busiest routes, linking Jalpaiguri Town railway station, schools, colleges, government offices and the municipal office.
Residents said an underground pipeline had been leaking for several days before the road surface finally caved in.
Water flooded nearby shops, an under-construction building and the road, forcing pedestrians to wade through water while passing vehicles splashed muddy water on commuters.
To prevent accidents, the Traffic Police barricaded the damaged stretch and diverted traffic, leading to long snarls during peak hours.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.