Lack of utility maps prevents BMC from averting pipeline damage incidents

Had the BMC been in possession of utility maps, the CNG fuel crisis -- that forced around 1 lakh taxis and 90,000 autorickshaws to go off the streets, giving Mumbaikars a harrowing time -- could have been averted.


Nowhere to go: Autos and cabs were unable to ply on the streets due to
the CNG shortage. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The BMC doesn't have a map of the underground utilities such as water and gas pipelines, and drainage system due to which the incidences of pipeline damage are on the rise. On Monday, a Mahanagar Gas Limited pipeline was damaged while the BMC staffers were widening a nullah for the storm water drainage project, disrupting CNG supply.

An official from the BMC said, "The BMC had decided to carry out GIS-based digital mapping of the city's structures (building by building) that sent the project cost shooting upto Rs 240 crore, while actual allocation for the project was Rs 32 crore. The idea of mapping water pipelines was scrapped last year as the cost was exceeding."

At present, the civic body has an old water pipeline map sans newly developed areas. In January 2011, BMC finally invited tenders from private parties for carrying out digital surveys to map around 33 underground utilities in the city. Digital images of those will be compiled on the basis of information collected by the GIS surveys. Then, these images would be juxtaposed on the city's base map.

"But we have not yet received the base maps from the NIC as well as clearance from the defense ministry for conducting the survey in sensitive areas in its jurisdiction, "said BMC's Information Technology assistant commissioner Yogesh Mahangade. The BMC survey will mainly involve collecting information about civic-controlled utilities such as water, sewerage networks and storm water drain lines. But in the process, the other utilities under the ground too will get automatically recorded, another official said.

V C Chittoda, MD of Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL) said, "The gas pipeline owned by GAIL is the feeder line of MGL. Widening of storm water drain line was going on inside RCF premises and a private contractor was given the contract for the same. The leakage was reported on Monday morning but the damage could have been done earlier. The workers had tried to cover up the damaged line with mud and this resulted in leakage of piped gas hours before it was stopped. The actual loss can be estimated by GAIL since they are the owners but the loss of allied services like taxi and Auto services is unaccountable." At least 78 petrol pumps out of 148 outlets in the city ran out of gas, sending traffic out of gear.
(Inputs by Ashutosh Patil)

Utilities
Beneath the city's 1,900-km road network are old water lines laid during British rule, along with storm water drains and sewerage. In addition, there is a cobweb of cables of more than 20 outside agencies including cellular services and Mahanagar Gas, and almost all of these are unmapped or unmarked in the existing maps that hasn't been updated for ages.

Offences for water burst
Under Section 268, 279, 427, 431 and 379 of the IPC, a person can be arrested for damaging public property, contaminating drinking water amounting to endangering the life of general public.