Five people were arrested after a ₹21 crore water tank collapsed during testing in Surat, Gujarat. The incident exposed alleged corruption, poor construction quality, and negligence in a major public drinking water project.
A major infrastructure failure in Gujarat has led to the arrest of five individuals after a newly constructed water tank worth ₹21 crore collapsed during routine testing in Surat district, raising serious questions about corruption, construction quality, and administrative oversight in public projects.
The incident occurred in Tadkeshwar village of Mandvi taluka in Surat district, where a 15-metre-high overhead water tank collapsed suddenly while being tested. The tank was part of the Gayapagla Group Water Supply Scheme under the Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board (GWSSB), a flagship initiative aimed at ensuring clean drinking water for more than 33 villages in the region.
According to Gujarat Police, the arrested individuals include the main contractors Jayanti Patel and Ambalal Patel, site supervisor Jasmin Patel, a staff supervisor, and another associate connected to the project. Investigators have revealed that all five accused are relatives and allegedly acted in close coordination to carry out irregularities during the construction process.
The arrests were made swiftly following the incident, as police intensified their investigation amid growing public outrage and political pressure. Officials stated that preliminary evidence points to deliberate negligence, violation of construction norms, and possible misuse of public funds.
The collapsed water tank had a storage capacity of approximately 11 lakh litres and was constructed by Mehsana-based Jayanti Super Construction Private Limited. Officials confirmed that nearly nine lakh litres of water had been filled during standard pressure testing when the structure failed catastrophically. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before the tank crumbled into debris within seconds.
The collapse resulted in injuries to three labourers who were present at the site at the time of testing. Among the injured was a child labourer, which has further intensified scrutiny over safety violations and labour law breaches. All injured individuals were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals and are reported to be stable.
In response to the incident, the Gujarat state government took immediate administrative action by suspending three senior GWSSB officials. Those suspended include Superintending Engineer Ankit Garasia, Executive Engineer Rajnikant Chaudhary, and Deputy Engineer Jay Chaudhary. The government cited serious lapses in supervision and failure to ensure compliance with quality standards.
Additionally, the contractor responsible for the project has been blacklisted, all pending payments have been frozen, and a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered at Mandvi police station. The FIR includes charges related to criminal negligence, cheating, and endangering human life.
Preliminary findings from the investigation indicate the use of substandard construction materials, poor structural design, and blatant disregard for established engineering norms. Officials suspect large-scale corruption in the execution of the project, which was meant to be a lifeline for water-scarce villages in the region.
The incident has sparked widespread anger among local villagers, many of whom had pinned their hopes on the project to permanently resolve chronic drinking water shortages. Residents alleged that public money was siphoned off, leaving them with neither water infrastructure nor accountability. Several villagers demanded a comprehensive audit of all ongoing water supply projects in the district.
Police officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and warned that more arrests could follow as forensic reports, financial records, and technical assessments are examined. Authorities are also probing whether similar irregularities exist in other projects executed by the same contractor.
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The Gujarat government has assured the public that strict action will be taken against all individuals found responsible, regardless of rank or position. Officials also announced plans to enforce tighter quality control measures, third-party audits, and stricter monitoring mechanisms in future public infrastructure projects to prevent such failures.
The collapse of the Surat water tank has once again highlighted systemic challenges in public infrastructure execution and underscored the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and rigorous enforcement of construction standards across India.
