Sinkhole opens at Karpaga Nagar after underground sewage pipeline bursts

A massive hole opened up on a road at Karpaga Nagar in the city after an underground sewage pipeline burst on Monday.

Corporation officials said a minor depression was first noticed at the site on Saturday (October 10) after a subterranean sewage pipeline suffered damage. On the following days, the leak worsened, resulting in a major pipeline burst that caused a deep cavity in the road.

The officials attributed the damage to the aging infrastructure. They noted that the pipeline was installed 30 to 40 years ago and had deteriorated due to wear and tear and corrosion.

Since the pipe has been buried approximately 25 feet below the ground surface, workers constructed a temporary access ramp to reach the damaged section. As an interim measure to manage the wastewater flow, authorities bypassed the burst section using a temporary pipeline to divert sewage directly to a local pumping station.

“Once the damaged pipeline is repaired, the pit will be backfilled and the road surface restored,” an official said, adding that repair works were expected to take around 10 days.

“Public access to the stretch has been closed for safety and it will be reopened once all works are completed,” the official noted.