Kolkata: The water crisis in north and central Kolkata is unlikely to be resolved without shutting down the Palta water treatment plant completely for about a day to repair the breach in the 72-inch-diameter steel pipeline at Tala, a section of KMC’s water supply department engineers told TOI.Engineers and officials in the department said the present stopgap arrangement has failed to restore normal supply. Water is being diverted through a 48-inch pipeline, but officials admitted the smaller line that was largely dysfunctional “was never meant to shoulder the load” of the main supply network that feeds large parts of the city.The civic body had initially hesitated to shut down Palta because of the scale of disruption such a move would cause. A complete closure of the treatment plant would affect supply across much of Kolkata, barring some pockets in south and south-east Kolkata.The alternative arrangement has only prolonged the crisis. Several neighbourhoods that rarely faced extended shortage are now dealing with erratic or no water supply. Bagbazar, Kumartuli, Shyampukur, Ahiritola, Belgachhia, Maniktala, Kankurgachhi, Bidhan Sarani, Vivekananda Road and College Street remain among the worst-hit areas.Residents said the uncertainty has disrupted daily life. Sudip Karmakar, a retired govt official and a resident of Kumartuli, has been compelled to buy water for the past five days. “How long will they take as water supply is essential service and none can do without it?” said Karmakar.Suchitra Bose, a resident of Bidhan Sarani and a school teacher, has stopped cooking at home. “We have been buying packaged drinking water. I have decided to order food from outside till normal supply is restored,” she said.KMC officials conceded that water tankers cannot meet the demand across the affected belt. The available fleet is not enough for lakhs of residents spread over 10 to 12 wards.Engineers now believe the breach has to be repaired at source. That, they said, requires stopping the flow from Palta so workers can safely access and repair the damaged section near Tala.
