Leaking pipe ruins Palampur roads, departments pass buck

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, April 14

Leaking pipes on various roads of Palampur have become a big nuisance for the area residents. Though the Public Works and IPH Department know the situation, no steps have been initiated to plug the leakages. Both departments are involved in a war of words over the issue, with none seemingly ready to accept the accountability.

No one has cared to repair the roads, which have now developed deep potholes, causing a great deal of inconvenience to commuters.

No one to accept accountability; Locals suffer

• Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the IPH Department had laid most of the water supply pipes without the permission of the PWD
• Both departments have been shifting the blame on one another, while the general public is left to suffer
• The standard protocol was not followed and the minimum depth of one foot was also not maintained while doing the job
• Over time, as heavy vehicles passed through this stretch, the pipes developed cracks, resulting in leakages

The Palampur Ghuggar-Chowki road — used by thousands daily — is the worst affected of all. As the departments turn a blind eye to the situation, deep potholes on this stretch have resulted in fatal accidents.

There are over a dozen points on this road where pipes have been leaking regularly for months. This road, which leads to Maranda via Chowki, is in a shambles as there are about 1-foot deep potholes on this stretch.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the IPH Department had laid most of the water supply pipes without the permission of the PWD. Both departments have been shifting the blame on one another, while the general public is left to suffer.

Meanwhile, sources said the standard protocol was not followed and the minimum depth of 1-foot was also not maintained while doing the job.

Most of the pipes have been laid in the open, without following the proper norms.

Over time, as heavy vehicles passed through this stretch, the pipes developed cracks, resulting in leakages.

IPH Executive Engineer Anil Verma said all the leaking pipes under his jurisdiction (Palampur town) were repaired by the department last year, and there were hardly any faulty pipes left.

However, the Chowki area, where the leakage issue persists, pertains to the Thural division of the IPH, he added.

When the matter was brought to his notice, he said he would ask the Thural division of the department to get the repairs done.

As per the norms notified by the state, the minimum depth of the pipes should be 1-foot, and contractors are made payments accordingly.

In Chowki, these standards have reportedly been flouted by the contractors who had laid the pipes.

Sources added that due to the nexus of corrupt contractors being handed over the job, the pipes started leaking within a few days of the installation. Despite the irregularities, the contractors have managed to receive payments for their jobs.

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