Water line leak led to sinkhole: Report

SECUNDERBAD: A recent sink-hole near the Clock Tower in Secunderabad was caused due to leakage from a drinking water line and migration of loose soil in a sewage pit, a report prepared by experts at National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) said.
The findings of the study, done using ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology at the cave-in site, was submitted to the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) on Wednesday.
The water board has utilised services of NGRI experts for the first time after the road cave-in incident at Clock Tower in Secunderabad on December 29, 2016. An NGRI team had conducted the study on the decades-old sewer line (300 mm diameter) for about 600 metre length. After a week, the NGRI experts submitted their report to the HMWS&SB managing director on Wednesday . In its report, the NGRI said, “The soil surrounding the pipeline appears to be porous due to fluid satu ration. Domestic pits were found towards margins, several pipelines and loose soil was around them.“
“Now, the water board has decided to request NGRI to study the condition of the decades-old sewer trunk between Amreerpet and GHMC head office using the GPR technology ,“ HMWS&SB managing director M Dana Kishore said. On September 21, a trunk sewer had got damaged near NTR Garden and road caved-in. “The water board would convene a meeting with NGRI team soon to take up the study . Based on the study , a decision will be taken for its replacement,“ the official said.