Sector 72 Water Supply Project Hits a Snag: Twenty Leaks Discovered in Main Pipeline

Gurugram’s municipal authorities had been touting the new water‑supply scheme for Sector 72 as a game‑changer for the area’s 1,200‑plus households. The plan was simple enough – lay a 1.5‑kilometre master pipeline, connect feeder lines, and start delivering clean water by early next year.

But the reality turned out to be a bit messier. During a routine pressure‑test last week, engineers spotted not one or two, but twenty separate leaks along the main line. Some were tiny pin‑pricks, others larger fissures that threatened to sap pressure and, frankly, waste a lot of water.

“We thought we were close to the finish line,” said Ramesh Kumar, the project manager for the GMDA‑led venture. “When the leak‑detection equipment beeped, we realized a lot of work still lay ahead.” The discovery forced the team to shut down the pipeline, assess each fault, and order replacement sections – a process that could take several weeks, if not months.

Residents, many of whom have been waiting for a reliable tap, expressed disappointment. “We were promised water by December. Now we’re hearing it might be mid‑2025,” complained Sunita Sharma, a homeowner on Mahipalpur Road. “Our children can’t keep buying bottled water forever.”

City officials have pledged to accelerate repairs, but they also warned that the extra work would bump up costs. The original budget of ₹42 crore is now projected to climb by at least ₹6 crore, according to the GMDA’s finance department.

Meanwhile, the municipal corporation has promised regular updates. A spokesperson told the press that a revised timeline would be released within ten days, and that interim water‑tankers would continue to serve the most affected colonies.

Infrastructure projects are rarely smooth, but the sudden uncovering of so many leaks has highlighted the challenges of rapid urban expansion. As Gurugram pushes ahead, officials say they’ll double‑check other pending pipelines to avoid a repeat of this setback.