Madhya Pradesh Congress on Friday, 2 October demanded accountability from the state government over the disappearance of key engineering documents and prolonged administrative delays linked to the Bhagirathpura drinking water tragedy in Indore. The party said findings from a judicial inquiry into the crisis raised serious questions about how the city's water and sewerage infrastructure was planned, maintained, and overseen.

What the judicial inquiry found

The one-member commission, headed by former Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Sushil Kumar Gupta, examined the causes of water contamination, resulting illnesses, and deaths, alongside administrative and technical shortcomings. The report was submitted to the High Court in August. According to findings cited by the Congress, sewage entered drinking water pipelines in Bhagirathpura, rendering the supplied water contaminated and unfit for human consumption. The commission found bacteria including E. coli and total coliform in water samples, and linked the contaminated supply to water-borne illnesses such as gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration.

Missing records and the 66-day delay

Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar said the absence of critical technical documentation — including layout plans, blueprints, design drawings, and pipeline alignment maps — was particularly alarming. 'Important engineering records were not made available before the commission. The government must explain why such records were unavailable and who will be held accountable for this lapse,' Singhar said at a press conference in Indore. He further highlighted that a file connected with sewerage infrastructure work remained pending for 66 days awaiting the Mayor's signature, calling the delay inexplicable. The commission, however, reportedly did not fix personal responsibility on the Mayor solely on account of this delay, according to media reports of the findings.

Death toll and attribution

The inquiry examined 36 deaths associated with the outbreak. According to report details cited by Singhar, 22 deaths were considered possibly related to contaminated water consumption. The figure has been presented with attribution, as local residents and the Opposition have publicly cited a higher overall death toll. The commission also concluded that timely replacement of damaged pipelines could have prevented the tragedy, placing administrative delays at the centre of its findings.

Congress demands compensation and transparency

Singhar demanded immediate implementation of the commission's recommendations, which include ₹10 lakh in compensation for the families of those who died, along with financial and medical assistance for affected patients. 'How did deaths occur due to contaminated drinking water in the country's cleanest city?' he asked, pointing to Indore's reputation as India's top-ranked clean city under the Swachh Survekshan. 'The people of Bhagirathpura deserve transparency, accountability and justice,' he said, pressing the government to disclose when compensation would be released.

Background: The Bhagirathpura crisis

The tragedy first came to light in December 2025 after residents of Bhagirathpura began falling ill following the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The episode drew national attention given Indore's standing as one of India's cleanest cities. The judicial commission's findings have since placed the spotlight on systemic gaps in urban water network management, infrastructure upkeep, and civic accountability. As the state government faces mounting pressure, the next critical milestone will be its formal response to the commission's recommendations and the timeline for disbursing compensation to affected families.