Damaged water supply lines escalate road sinking in Sirsa
Sirsa is facing the issue of road sinking, caused by the installation of water, sewage, and rainwater pipes on main roads. This issue has increased difficulties for drivers while posing a serious risk of accidents. On Thursday, a water pipeline leakage led to sinking of a section of the Hisar road. Nearby residents and traders quickly placed tree branches and bricks over sunken section to prevent accidents. Following reports, the Public Health Department dug up the road and started repairing the damaged pipeline.
This leakage disrupted the water supply to five local colonies, including Khanna Colony, Khairpur, Guru Nanak Nagar and Friends Colony. In fact, this is not the first time that roads in the area have sunk due to the underground installation of pipelines.
The incident that occurred near the Irrigation Department office on the Hisar road is one of many reported from the city. A four-feet wide and five-feet deep hole formed rapidly, creating a major safety concern for the public. Local shopkeepers, fearing an accident, placed tree branches over the hole and alerted the municipal corporation and the Public Health Department.
Upon inspection, officials from the Public Health and Engineering Department confirmed that the road had sunk due to a leakage in a water supply pipeline. The pipeline, which had been installed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Scheme, was damaged, causing water leakage. Residents suspect that the leak occurred due to worn-out or broken water connections.
Rajiv Kumar, a local resident, said the city’s drainage system had been upgraded at a cost of Rs 10 crore by the municipal corporation. This work involved the installation of stone lines from Khairpur to Rangoi Nala along the Hisar road. However, due to leakage in these new pipelines, several sections of the road had previously sunk, causing major inconvenience to both drivers and nearby business establishments. Furthermore, after each rainfall, water accumulates in the sunk areas of roads, making commuting even more difficult for residents.
Similar issues were observed on the Dabwali road recently, where newly installed pipes caused the road collapse. In some areas, explosions in pipes led to more severe damage, leaving the road unfit for commuting for months altogether. Despite spending crores on these projects, the issues remain unresolved, leading to continuous disruptions in movement of traffic, besides posing a risk to safety of commuters.
Another section of the Hisar road, near Bajeka village, had sunk many times due to laying of underground pipelines under the AMRUT Scheme. The Public Works Department repaired the road multiple times. Many other stretches of the road remain unrepaired.
Deepak Kumar, SDO, Public Health and Engineering Department, said road had sunk after laying water supply lines and pipes under the AMRUT Scheme. Road collapsed as the soil settled due to water leaking from connections, he said. He assured the public that the department was repairing damaged pipelines to restore water supply to colonies and prevent further road sinking.
