Road collapse and pipeline burst leaves residents homeless, sans water in Bengal’s Howrah

Major road cave-in and water pipeline burst in Howrah, West Bengal leads to protests and displacement of families.

A major road cave-in led to a water pipeline burst in West Bengal’s Howrah district’s Belgachia area which ended with cracks in multiple houses, including an anganwadi centre. Many were left homeless and without water for over three days. On Saturday (March 22, 2025), locals staged a protest over their uncertain future.  

The problem started when a pipeline from the Puddapukur water treatment plant was damaged and led to almost all wards in Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) suffering from water stoppage issues on Thursday (March 20, 2025) and Friday (March 21, 2025). 

The water pipeline cracked after a landslide in the Belgachia landfill area damaged the pipeline. More than 70 families living near the landfill have been shifted to safer locations, but they staged protests on Saturday (March 22, 2025). 

By Friday (March 21, 2025) evening connection was restored in some parts of central Howrah, but many remained affected in other areas till Saturday. Over 30 water tankers have been used to supply water to the affected areas, but locals complain that it is not enough. 

Sujay Chakravarty, the chairperson of the board of administrators of the HMC said that engineers and workers are all on working on a war footing and trying to restore the connection at the earliest.

Trinamool Congress MLA and Minister Arup Ray from Howrah visited the worst affected the area in Belgachia. Mr. Ray said, “The situation is dire, but this is a natural disaster which humans no hand in. Many houses have been destroyed.” 

He refuted all claims by the locals that this cave in happened due to lack of planning. He also assured that all government bodies are working together to solve the crisis at the earliest.