Indore's 120-Year-Old Pipes Linked to Deadly Water Contamination Crisis

• Indore faces a severe water contamination crisis, reportedly claiming nine lives, linked to its aging 120-year-old pipeline network.
• The city's piped water system, initiated in 1906 under Maharaja Tukojirao Holkar III, still uses many original or very old pipes, especially in older areas.
• Despite Indore's top cleanliness rankings, the underground infrastructure, including cast-iron pipes from 1906-1939, has not been updated, leading to frequent leaks and corrosion.
• Major concerns include sewage mixing with drinking water, rust-colored tap water, and low pressure due to decaying pipes.
• Residents of Bhagirathpura, where nine deaths occurred, reported foul-smelling, yellowish water since last year, with officials aware of the degraded pipeline condition.

Why It Matters: Indore's deadly water crisis stems from a century-old, neglected pipeline network despite surface cleanliness.