Gandhinagar typhoid outbreak exposes flaws in Rs 257-crore water supply project

Gandhinagar is grappling with a typhoid outbreak after sewage mixed with drinking water due to leaks in the city’s newly laid pipeline network, raising serious concerns over public health and infrastructure planning.

Health authorities have confirmed 70 active typhoid cases, largely concentrated in Sector 24, Sector 26, Sector 28 and Adiwada, with doctors flagging the situation as a water-borne disease outbreak requiring immediate containment.

How contamination occurred

Engineering officials have identified at least seven leak points in the drinking water pipelines. These breaches allowed sewage from nearby sewer lines to enter the water supply.

A senior Roads and Buildings department official acknowledged that new water pipelines were laid dangerously close to sewer lines. When high-pressure water flow began under the 24/7 supply system, structural weaknesses led to leaks, making contamination unavoidable.

Another district official said that once leakage occurs near sewer lines, <u>the risk of contamination becomes inevitable</u>.

Hospitals on alert as children fall ill

The Gandhinagar Civil Hospital has opened a 30-bed paediatric ward to manage the growing number of children reporting high fever, vomiting and gastrointestinal symptoms.

A senior hospital official said doctors are seeing a steady stream of patients, adding that early diagnosis and treatment are critical. Hospital authorities have intensified outpatient screening, while confirming that essential medicines are adequately stocked.

As of now, officials said none of the patients are in serious condition, though all remain under observation.

Emergency measures underway

Municipal teams have begun super-chlorination of the water supply, while leakages are being plugged on a priority basis.

Municipal Commissioner J N Vaghela said fresh water samples show signs of improvement. He expressed confidence that the situation could be <u>contained within a day or two</u> if corrective measures continue at the current pace.

District Collector Mehul Dave said Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi visited patients and reviewed the response on the ground.

Door-to-door surveillance intensified

Authorities have deployed 40 surveillance teams to conduct door-to-door health checks, distribute chlorine tablets, and advise residents to boil drinking water, avoid outside food, and maintain strict hygiene.

Health officials said families in affected areas are being monitored daily for symptoms.

Infrastructure gaps under scrutiny

The crisis has cast a shadow over the Rs 257-crore 24/7 water supply project, which was intended to improve water quality and reliability.

Officials admitted that uncoordinated digging by cable companies and private contractors has worsened the problem. Ignoring engineering maps, accidental pipeline cuts have caused several leak incidents, compounding the risk of contamination.

Urban infrastructure experts warn that poor coordination between departments and inadequate safety buffers between sewer and water lines pose long-term risks if not urgently corrected.

Why this matters now

Water-borne outbreaks directly threaten public health, child safety and trust in civic infrastructure. With summer approaching, experts caution that delayed fixes could lead to faster disease spread if water safety is not fully restored.

What to watch next

• Results of fresh water quality tests after super-chlorination.

• Whether authorities order a technical audit of the 24/7 water supply project.

• Trends in new typhoid cases over the next 72 hours.