BHOPAL: Gauhar Mahal is saved. For now.After four days of digging and exploring, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday stumbled upon the source of the seepage that is flooding the magnificent 200-year-old palace — a large crack in its water supply line, just west of the palace.TOI has been campaigning for Gauhar Mahal and was there when the leak was discovered on Thursday afternoon.The new finding comes with a caution — impact assessment by site engineers indicates that more than a dozen sewage lines passing through the area need to be plugged in order to completely stop water from seeping into the adjacent palace. The leak was detected in an 8-inch supply pipeline that pumps water from Upper Lake. The newly laid line is one of the three such from Kolar Dam, Upper Lake and Narmada The leaking pipeline was laid recently in order to bring Narmada water to the walled city. The filtration plant has yet to receive Narmada water.The pipeline is able to pump 1 lakh gallon of water per hour. Depending upon the capacity of the pump, the water is equivalent to meeting the requirement of about 50,000 homes.The cracked pipeline was found under Sikandari Gate on top of the steps that lead to Upper Lake. BMC workers, who have dug over 10 locations in four days, were thrilled on finding the leak. Two loaders were used to dig up the entire area. Fearing that heavy machines might rupture two other pipelines and the sewer lines, the workers went back to spades, crowbars and sweat for a good three hours."We anticipate that 60% of the issue has been resolved. Water from the sewer and stormwater drain is adding to the flow of water that is damaging the palace structure," said a senior BMC engineer.He explained that over a dozen sewer and stormwater drains have ended up in the same belt that connects Shaukat Mahal with VIP Road. "To find a comprehensive solution, the entire area (in front of Masjid Maaji Sahiba Kalan) should be re-laid and properly connected to the filtration plant," said the civic body engineer.After Thursday's findings, heritage conservationist Sikander Malik reiterated his claim that water outlets and supply lines laid during the rule of Shahjehan Begum (till 1901) are about 10 feet below and much of the reopening of drains by BMC along the BRTS has led to the current situation.

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