The structure, built under the Tapi Water Supply Scheme to serve 33 villages, gave way abruptly during the test. The 15-metre-high tank, with a storage capacity of 11 lakh litres, collapsed mid-filling, injuring three labourers, including a woman. No fatalities were reported. Villagers expressed anger and anxiety over a likely disruption in drinking water supply.
The collapse reverberated at the highest levels of the state administration. During a cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar on Tuesday, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed strong displeasure and warned that negligence in public works would not be tolerated. “Poor performance and lapses will invite strict action,” Patel said, directing departments to enforce tighter supervision across infrastructure projects.
Chief Secretary M.K. Das informed the cabinet that immediate disciplinary measures had been initiated. Deputy Executive Engineer Jay Chaudhary and Executive Engineer Rajnikant Chaudhary were suspended, and all payments to the construction agency were halted. The government also ordered a departmental inquiry and indicated that police complaints would be filed against those found responsible.
Preliminary inspections pointed to serious construction flaws. Officials said cement flakes were found peeling from the debris, suggesting poor material quality. Local residents alleged irregularities in the use of cement and steel, intensifying demands for accountability. A technical investigation has been assigned to a team of engineers from SVNIT Surat to determine structural failures and fix responsibility.
The Surat collapse stood in stark contrast to another water tank-related incident reported the same day in Ahmedabad. Near Sarangpur Circle, a 75-year-old municipal water tank proved so robust that authorities had to hoist an eight-tonne JCB onto the structure using a crane to facilitate demolition. The visuals sparked public debate over the durability of older civic infrastructure compared to recent constructions.
In Ahmedabad, officials said demolition was being carried out with strict safety protocols, including barricades placed 20 feet from surrounding roads. The old tank, once supplying water to Khadia and Sarangpur areas, was designed to withstand nearly 1,500 tonnes.
The Surat incident has renewed scrutiny of quality control in public projects. With a technical report awaited, the state government has signalled zero tolerance for lapses, indicating that further action against contractors and officials could follow once the investigation concludes.
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