Pipe burst in Mullassery canal: residents avert washing away of road portion

Residents prevent disaster as water pipeline bursts in Kochi, highlighting the urgent need for infrastructure improvements.

The timely intervention of residents averted what could have led to a portion of Mullassery Canal Road being washed away by the gush of water from a distribution pipeline of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) on March 30 (Saturday).

The water is said to have gushed out from a crack in the joint of the six-inch-wide pipeline laid beneath the road. The road was in a dilapidated condition for the past several months, following delay in completing the restoration of the canal. Flooding caused by pipe bursts was among the reasons for the delay in completing the canal restoration work since trenches dug as part of the work were getting flooded following pipe bursts, it is learnt.

Inex Michael, a resident, was among the first to witness the pipeline burst on Saturday morning. “This was at much the same spot where a minor leak that was detected two days ago had been plugged. I immediately contacted KWA officials who informed of the pipeline’s valve beneath a manhole nearby. I managed to close the valve that regulated the water flow since any delay could have resulted in compound walls in the vicinity coming crashing down. It could also have raised concerns about the safety of pedestrians,” he said.

Kochi Corporation councillor Sudha Dileepkumar spoke of how residents, traders, and road users had been complaining of dust from the worksites and frequent bursts of the water pipeline disrupting supply of drinking water. This is apart from water from drains of byroads entering houses and shops since the main drain is blocked for the canal work. All this can be prevented only if works related to Operation Breakthrough are completed in a time-bound manner, she said.

A KWA official attributed most instances of pipe bursts to cracks developing on pipelines when the road is trenched for canal works. The latest pipe burst was repaired by Saturday evening.

But sources in the Irrigation department that has been tasked with the canal restoration work said the pipe burst could have occurred due to pressure build-up in the PVC pipeline. As for the canal work, the official said it could be completed by mid-April. Half the work in the corridor leading east from MG Road and ending on Chittoor Road can be completed by April-end and rest of the 300-metre-long stretch by May-end. This includes laying of paver blocks on the entire road.

The works suffered delay mainly because of the absence of a dedicated duct for utility pipes and cables. Beneath the narrow road is the city’s main water and sewage lines and also the canal that drained away water from the KSRTC bus stand among other places.