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4 min readBhopalUpdated: Mar 6, 2026 05:29 AM IST
The report details a large-scale overhaul of the locality’s pipeline network, which previously extended over 26 km. Under a tender issued in 2022–23 for laying around 9.8 km of pipelines, the civic body had already laid 7.6 km by January 2025, and the remaining work has now been completed.
The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has replaced significant portions of the water supply and drainage network in Bhagirathpura and restored piped water supply to 70% of the area, according to an interim status report submitted before the High Court on the progress of remedial works in the wake of the water contamination that claimed the lives of at least 23 people.
The report, submitted before the Bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, said the civic body has stopped using the old Narmada water supply pipeline and shifted to the newly laid infrastructure across the area.
“The use of the old Narmada water supply pipeline has been completely stopped, and water supply from the newly laid down Narmada pipeline has been restored to about 70% area of the Bhagirathpura locality,” the IMC said in the interim status report.
The report details a large-scale overhaul of the locality’s pipeline network, which previously extended over 26 km. Under a tender issued in 2022–23 for laying around 9.8 km of pipelines, the civic body had already laid 7.6 km by January 2025, and the remaining work has now been completed. “The pipeline laying aspect has been completed, and road restoration and testing of certain patches of work is in progress,” the corporation informed the court.
Additional pipeline works have also been undertaken to strengthen supply lines to the locality. Under a project initiated in December 2025 to lay pipelines from Topiwala Square to Bhagirathpura at a cost of Rs 97.11 lakh, nearly the whole stretch has been completed. “Under this work, 1.875 km pipelines of various diameters have to be laid. Out of which the stretch of 1.760 km have already been completed,” the status report said.
A separate project launched in January 2026 for laying pipelines across different parts of Bhagirathpura, costing Rs 2.05 crore, is also underway. The work involves laying 4 km of pipelines, of diameters ranging from 315 mm to 110 mm, and providing around 1,000 household connections. “As of now, 2,150 meters of pipelines have already been laid, and the work is in progress,” the report said.
Alongside the water supply works, the corporation has taken up multiple drainage and sewerage projects in the locality. As part of a contract signed in November 2025 for repairing demolished sewer chambers between Bhagirathpura and Niranjanpura, eight manholes have been constructed and about 40 metres of sewer pipeline laid in the Bhagirathpura stretch.
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Under other drainage works undertaken in 2025, the corporation said several damaged sewer lines have been replaced and new pipelines laid. One project resulted in the laying of about 350 metres of sewer pipeline and the construction of 35 manholes, while another involved replacing around 300 metres of sewer line. A separate drainage project costing over Rs 30 lakh has nearly been completed with the laying of around 500 metres of sewer pipeline.
The report further said that preventive measures are being taken to ensure water safety in the area. “The Government/Corporation borewells of the Bhagirathpura area have been chlorinated thrice till now,” it states, adding that residual chlorine tests are conducted daily by sub-engineers and random samples from water tankers are also checked.
On Thursday, the petitioners in the case called for judicial intervention in tracing the source of contamination, claiming that the contamination may have spread after the residents accessed water straight from the water tankers.
The civic body has been cleaning overhead water storage tanks across the area. “The SOP issued by the State of Madhya Pradesh is regularly complied with, and to date, 103 overhead tanks out of 106 have already been cleaned by the Corporation,” the report said.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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