By Upendra Naik
Residents of Bhatlem and surrounding areas erupted in anger after gross negligence by Smart City contractors resulted in a catastrophic burst of the main water pipeline, leaving homes flooded and property destroyed.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
As citizens battled rising waters, authorities remained conspicuously absent, fueling outrage and demands for accountability.
However , Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd. (IPSCDL) clarifies that the recent water pipeline burst at Bhatlem, which led to water wastage and temporary flooding in low-lying areas, was not caused by any Smart City-related works.
In a Press release by IPSCDL it says , the issue originated due to an internal pipeline end cap breakage inside Dhanlaxmi Colony, an entirely unrelated matter. IPSCDL has not undertaken any activities in the affected zone that could have led to this incident.
On Sunday morning at around 10 AM, the ongoing work on a Smart City sewage chamber in the Bhatlem area turned into a nightmare for residents when a 600 MLD main water pipeline burst, unleashing a torrent of water into Dhanlaxmi Nagar Society.
Within minutes, homes were inundated, with water seeping into kitchens, damaging appliances, and leaving families scrambling to save their belongings
Despite the severity of the situation, officials from Imagine Panaji and the Panjim Municipal Corporation (PMC) failed to visit the affected areas for hours, leaving residents feeling abandoned.
Furious homeowners demanded immediate action against those responsible for this reckless negligence and urged authorities to compensate them for their massive losses.
