According to the health department, 437 residents have been admitted to hospitals since the outbreak of water-borne illness. By Wednesday night, 381 patients had been discharged after treatment, while 56 remain hospitalized. Health officials said the condition of the ICU patients is being closely monitored.
The latest alarm was raised on Wednesday when authorities opened the valve of a water tank near the Bhagirathpura police outpost as part of a flushing exercise. To the surprise of officials and residents, water began seeping from a nearby pit where a drainage pipeline had been laid just two days earlier. Within minutes, the pit filled with water, indicating a possible leak or cross-connection between the water supply line and the drainage system.
The development has intensified fears of further contamination, particularly in a locality already reeling from multiple fatalities. Municipal officials acknowledged the leakage and said technical teams have been deployed to inspect the pipeline and identify the source of the seepage. Repair work and additional flushing of the line are expected to continue over the next few days.
In response, the administration issued fresh advisories warning residents not to consume water supplied through the Narmada pipeline until the cleaning process is completed. Public announcements have been made across the area, urging people to use only boiled or treated water for drinking and cooking.
Fear of contamination has drastically altered daily life in Bhagirathpura. Most residents have stopped using borewell water and are now entirely dependent on tanker supplies and packaged or RO water. Long queues were seen near water tankers on Wednesday, while households reported increased expenses to secure safe drinking water.
The health impact continues to be visible. On Wednesday alone, 18 patients reported to the local primary health centre with symptoms of diarrhoea. Of these, six were referred to higher medical facilities for further treatment, officials said.
The incident has once again highlighted vulnerabilities in Indore’s water distribution infrastructure and raised questions about maintenance, monitoring, and emergency response mechanisms. With repair work underway and medical surveillance ongoing, authorities face mounting pressure to restore public confidence and ensure that no further lapses put lives at risk.
