Water Eruption Jolts Silchar: Testing or Trouble? Questions Mount over AMRUT Execution

Residents of Silchar were left stunned and concerned after multiple fountains of muddy water erupted from underneath the town’s main roads this morning. The sudden splashes were reported from four high-footfall or rather VIP areas of the town— Trunk Road near the bus stand opposite the Passport Seva Kendra, India Club Point (Capt. NM Gupta Marg), Park Road near the DC Bungalow, and Circuit House Road near DSA.

The unannounced eruption caught both pedestrians and commuters off guard, with water continuing to bleed for a considerable time before any form of official response arrived. Videos and photos of the unexpected fountains circulated widely on social media, sparking criticism about the administration’s preparedness and response time.

When Barak Bulletin reached out to the Cachar District administration, an official response came in:

“Under AMRUT, a testing of Zone 3A under Phase 1 was conducted today on 19/04/2025. In 4 places water bleeding was witnessed which is a part of testing or trial run. During the testing, no loss to life had happened. The entire system is under stabilisation process.”

While the clarification labels the incident as a part of a routine trial, several pressing questions remain unanswered. If the test was planned, why were such sensitive and crowded locations not cordoned off in advance? Why was there no visible on-ground team deployed to monitor the process? And more importantly, was the pipe bleeding caused by loose joints or did it result from faulty or damaged infrastructure?

Also worrying is the silence on what happens next. Will the affected sections be repaired again? Was this avoidable damage that now requires rework — and potentially more public funds?

According to a response tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the Silchar Town Water Supply Project under the AMRUT mission was awarded a contract with a sanctioned cost of Rs 177.47 crore. As of the latest update, the project had achieved 89% progress, with Rs 136.72 crore already spent.

Launched in 2015, AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) is a flagship urban development initiative by the Government of India, aimed at improving water supply, sewerage, and other essential civic services in cities. While its objectives are noble, execution often falls short — as seen in today’s display of unexpected ‘testing’ that left the heart of Silchar in disarray.

In a mission that aspires to deliver quality infrastructure, the bleeding pipes in Silchar pose a more symbolic question: is the administration leaking public trust as much as it’s leaking water?