Excavator damage underground water pipelines, leads to water crisis in Vidyanagar and MES College areas

Vasco: Hundreds of residents of Vidyanagar and the MES College locality have been facing an acute water shortage since Sunday after an underground pipeline was damaged by machinery engaged in flyover construction and highway expansion work.

Residents have been without water supply for the past four days, with thousands of litres of water being wasted due to the damaged pipeline.

“It is a total mess created by the National Highways Authority of India while carrying out flyover and highway expansion work. How can the NHAI and its contractor function in this manner, where heavy machinery has dug up the internal road leading to MES College from the main junction?” alleged Santosh Dessai, panch representing Ward 1 in Sancoale.

Dessai said the road has become non-motorable. “Water gushing from the underground pipeline has created a pond. It looks like a swimming pool,” he said, expressing his outrage on social media.

He said residents in his ward have been forced to rely on private water tankers to meet their daily needs.

Tulsidas Naik, deputy sarpanch of Sancoale, said the panchayat has not received any complaint from affected residents or the ward panch member. However, he said the NHAI and its contractor have taken locals for granted.

“We are not sure whether the NHAI and its contractor obtained the necessary permissions to dig up internal roads, resulting in damage to underground water pipelines and affecting hundreds of residents,” Naik said.