Officers of Gujarat Water Infrastructure Private Limited (GWIL), a state-government enterprise which executes major warterworks projects said that the Maliya-Varsamedi pipeline developed a breach at Khirai village, around 14 km away from Bhachau town at 7:30 am on Saturday. (Express photo) Officers of Gujarat Water Infrastructure Private Limited (GWIL), a state-government enterprise which executes major warterworks projects said that the Maliya-Varsamedi pipeline developed a breach at Khirai village, around 14 km away from Bhachau town at 7:30 am on Saturday. (Express photo) Drinking water supply in the Kutch was disrupted as the trunk line taking Narmada water to the arid district developed a breach near Bhachau town early on Saturday morning. This is second time in around two years that the pipeline has developed a breach affecting water supply to Kutch. Officers of Gujarat Water Infrastructure Private Limited (GWIL), a state-government enterprise which executes major warterworks projects said that the Maliya-Varsamedi pipeline developed a breach at Khirai village, around 14 km away from Bhachau town at 7:30 am on Saturday. This 91-kilometres long pipeline takes drinking water to Kutch after lifting it from Maliya Branch Canal of Narmada project from near Maliya town in Morbi district. “The pipeline developed a breach due to corrosion. The area where the breach has been reported is a saline zone which affects the mild steel (MI) pipeline of 1.4 metre diameter,” said Chandrasinh Zala, senior manager of GWIL. Zala said that the original thickness of the pipeline when it was laid in year 2002 was 10 millimeters. However, it had reduced to just two millimeters at the stretch which blasted this morning. “We have stopped the pumping of water from Maliya and operation to weld the broken section is on. The pipeline is likely to be repaired by around 8 pm on Saturday. It will start delivering water again to the end point 12 hours from then,” Zala further said. But the breach disrupted distribution of drinking water in Kutch, the largest district of the state in terms of geographical expanse. “The total drinking water demand of Kutch district is 470 million litres per day (MLD). Around 201 MLD of them comes from Narmada supply while the balance is drawn from 750 tubewells. But the breach means Narmada supply will not be available for at least 36 hours. We shall try to draw more water from local sources bu the overall distribution schedule will remain affected till Sunday morning,” said Lalji Fufal, superintending engineer of Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB) in Kutch. GWSSB is a state government organisation which develops and oversees supply of drinking water and sewerage in Gujarat. For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App now © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

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