Pipelines replaced, yet fear persists in Indore:Cases drop, streets return to normal, but trust in tap water remains broken; supply promised within 20 days

More than a month after contaminated drinking water claimed 33 lives and left hundreds hospitalised, fear continues to haunt the narrow lanes of Bhagirathpura in Indore. While officials insist the situation is steadily returning to normal, residents remain wary of turning on their taps. A ground report by Bhaskar English reveals that although visible panic has eased, a deep psychological fear still grips the neighbourhood. Pipelines are being replaced, water tankers operate daily, and public announcements seek to reassure people — yet the scars of the tragedy remain far from healed. Tankers on the roads, doubt in the minds The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) is currently supplying water through nearly 50 tankers daily. The water is being used for washing clothes, utensils and cleaning floors but not for drinking.
The trauma is not abstract, it is personal In another lane, Ramchandra Napde pointed to the public announcements being made by the civic body. They are telling people not to drink tap water until testing is complete. Even if they say things are normal, the fear is still there. We are bringing RO water and boiling it before drinking, he said. Another resident Shobha Patil said the contamination was widespread. Residents say the added expense of purchasing drinking water daily has disturbed their household budgets. Gas cylinders are running out faster due to continuous boiling of water. The fear, they say, has become a permanent part of daily life. Health centre returns to normal At the public health centre in Bhagirathpura, however, the situation appears to have stabilised. Only one patient with diarrhoea was reported recently and medical staff clarified that it was unrelated to contaminated water. About a month ago, nearly 200 patients were coming daily with complaints of diarrhoea and vomiting. The situation was alarming. But now it has turned normal. We are not getting any new patients of diarrhoea and vomiting linked to the water, said a health worker at the centre. The sharp drop in cases indicates that the immediate health crisis has subsided, even though fear persists among residents. Line replacement, testing underway Ward 44 corporator Kamal Waghela said that more than 500 metres of the main Narmada water supply line have been replaced. Testing of the new pipelines is underway. Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav acknowledged the gravity of the incident and said the civic body is working on a war footing. He added that the focus is not just on technical repairs but also on rebuilding public trust. We understand the emotional impact of the tragedy. We are continuously monitoring chlorine levels and sample reports. Bhagirathpura will return to normal soon, said Pushyamitra Bhargav. Court calls government report as ‘Eye Wash’ The matter has reached the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which took serious note of the incident and termed the government’s report an ‘eye-wash’. The court observed that access to clean drinking water is part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution. While the government officially acknowledged 21 deaths, petitioner’s counsel Ajay Bagadia claimed the toll crossed 33. The court flagged inconsistencies in cause-of-death records and lack of scientific backing in the submitted reports. A single-member independent inquiry commission headed by retired Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta has been constituted with powers equivalent to a civil court. The commission will investigate the actual cause of contamination, the real number of deaths, the adequacy of medical response and accountability of officials. An interim report has been sought within four weeks, and the next hearing is scheduled for March 5, 2026. The court also questioned why only eight parameters were used for water testing when earlier assessments in 2018 examined 34 parameters and had reportedly found fecal contamination. Congress demands Rs 1 cr compensation, accountability Out of the 21 officially acknowledged deaths, 20 families have received Rs 2 lakh each reportedly from the Red Cross Society, not directly from the state government. Families of other deceased individuals have questioned why their losses have not been formally recognised. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Bhagirathpura and extended financial assistance to 18 families. Leader of Opposition in IMC, Chintu Chokse, launched a sharp attack on the civic administration and ruling establishment. He alleged that the tragedy exposed systemic failure in maintaining water and drainage infrastructure and demanded a time-bound action plan to prevent recurrence. A area waiting for trust to return On the surface, Bhagirathpura is slowly regaining routine life. Children are back in the streets, shops are open, and tankers continue their rounds. But inside homes, residents still hesitate before filling a glass from the tap. The pipelines may soon be fully restored. The inquiry commission will submit its report. The court will hear the matter again. But for Bhagirathpura, the real restoration will begin only when the fear of drinking water disappears and trust flows again as freely as the supply it once relied upon.