KATHMANDU, Feb 13: A rupture in the Melamchi Drinking Water pipeline left Kathmandu’s Babarmahal area underwater Wednesday afternoon, creating significant problems for locals, commuters, and pedestrians traveling through. The area was chaotic for a while after the incident.
Melamchi pipeline bursts have repeatedly caused problems in Kathmandu.
In mid-November, a similar incident in the Naya Bazaar area led to severe flooding. These recurring issues have raised serious concerns about the quality and execution of government infrastructure projects. Additionally, they have exposed the lack of coordination among government agencies responsible for infrastructure development. Also, government agencies have neglected necessary monitoring and continue to shift blame onto each other.
Prakash Rai, spokesperson for Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), identified multiple causes of pipeline bursts. He explained that negligence during the installation of underground electric lines on the road led to the water pipeline burst in Babarmahal on Wednesday.
"Excessive water pressure or damage caused by a third party (another government agency) often leads to pipeline bursts. On Wednesday, a third party damaged the water pipeline, causing the issue," he said.
He criticized government agencies for failing to coordinate and take precautions while laying underground pipelines or cables. "When multiple agencies work in the same underground space, they must coordinate and exercise caution," he added.
The water pipeline burst on Wednesday submerged government offices, the Special Court, the Kathmandu District Court, and other buildings in the Babarmahal area, disrupting court hearings.
The flooding damaged sections 26, 27, 28, and 29 on the ground floor of the Kathmandu District Court's second building. On Wednesday evening, the court announced that services from these sections, scheduled hearings, and benches 26, 27, 28, and 29 would remain suspended until further notice.
Authorities have temporarily halted Melamchi’s water supply after the damaged pipeline disrupted the system. On Wednesday, KUKL’s Project Implementation Directorate reported that Nepal Electricity Authority’s contractor company, KEI, damaged a 20-inch pipeline while reaming after pilot drilling without properly studying the GIS map.
KUKL has urged the Nepal Electricity Authority to repair the damaged pipeline immediately.
The Project Directorate stated that it has repeatedly requested and notified relevant authorities to coordinate properly when installing underground electricity lines, constructing roads, and building drainage systems to prevent damage to the Melamchi pipeline.
Experts have raised concerns that similar incidents have occurred in the past due to poor infrastructure quality, lack of coordination, and inadequate monitoring. They warned that such accidents will likely continue if authorities fail to take proper precautions.
‘Pipeline burst during electricity authority’s underground line installation’
The Minister for Drinking Water Supply, Pradeep Yadav, stated that the Nepal Electricity Authority caused the burst in the water pipeline in Babarmahal while installing underground power lines. In a social media post on Wednesday, Minister Yadav explained that horizontal drilling for the underground power lines damaged the pipeline of the bulk water distribution system in Babarmahal.
He wrote, "This afternoon, the Nepal Electricity Authority burst the pipeline of the bulk water distribution system in Babarmahal, Kathmandu, while conducting horizontal drilling to install underground power lines." He further mentioned, "I was in Pokhara for an event. As soon as I heard about the pipeline burst and flooding in the Babarmahal area, I immediately came to Kathmandu and reached the site where water was flowing due to the burst."
He also stated that around 50 percent of the water has receded. He wrote, "About 50 percent of the water has receded. After receiving reports of submerged vehicles and disrupted traffic, I instructed the Chief Executive Officer of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited to close the valve."