LPG pipe head reinstalled on busy Bhubaneswar road, safety concerns rise

Bhubaneswar: Nearly eight months after a hume pipe belonging to a cooking gas distribution network was removed from the busy Jaydev Vihar-Nandankanan Road following a TOI report on its placement above the road surface, the pipeline has been reinstalled recently at a near-exact location, triggering fresh safety concerns.The pipeline was reinstalled without proper warning signs this time, bringing back fears of accidents and raising questions about the logic behind such a decision among commuters, road safety activists and experts.Road safety activist PV Raman criticised the pipeline’s reinstallation, warning that its presence on a busy stretch could trigger a major fire incident in the event of a leak or vehicle collision.The risk is magnified as a fuel station is located directly opposite the spot on the left side of the carriageway between Damana and Nalco Square.

“Placing a gas pipeline on a busy road is unacceptable. It goes against every basic principle of road safety and hazard management,” Raman said.TOI had reported about the placement of the pipe head directly on the arterial road in June last year, leaving motorists vulnerable to accidents and potential gas-related hazards. After the report was published, authorities had removed the structure.The concern is compounded by the poor barricading around the structure, raised nearly 4 ft from the ground.

Only a single warning board with a cross mark has been placed on one side, leaving the pipe exposed and barely visible to fast-moving traffic, especially at night.Commuters said the installation of the pipeline narrows the carriageway and forces vehicle riders to dodge dangerously to avoid hitting the structure. “This is really illogical. How can the road-owning authority allow such an installation of such kind in the first place?” Akash Nath, a commuter, asked.As the stretch witnesses heavy traffic during peak hours, residents and regular commuters feared that leaving the pipe head at the spot could lead to a serious accident. Activists urged the authorities to enforce strict protocols for utility-related road works.“With the city expanding, underground utility networks will get denser. Unplanned or poorly supervised installations, especially on the roads, could lead to dangerous consequences,” city-based urban planner Dipu Nanda said.City mayor Sulochana Das said the matter would be taken up immediately with the agency, which installed the pipeline. “We will pursue the matter with the agency concerned and take necessary steps to remove the pipe at the earliest,” she said.