Mumbai: CR, BMC conduct joint inspection to prevent waterlogging on tracks

Central Railway and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a pre-monsoon joint inspection of nullahs along railway tracks yesterday. The officials visited five troublesome spots on the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST)-Thane stretch which have a history of waterlogging.

Also read: MMRDA's pumps to prevent waterlogging along Monorail

BMC chief Ajoy Mehta (centre) with CR's Divisional Railway Manager Amitabh Ojha (left) during the joint inspection yesterday

Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and Divisional Railway Manager Amitabh Ojha left with other officials in a special train at 10.55 am. This is the first time in six years that a civic chief has inspected nullahs along the railway line. Sources said the first halt was between Masjid and Byculla stations. "The most fragile location that might suffer during waterlogging is near Masjid station, towards Byculla," said a senior CR official.

The officials said that, on this stretch, there is little scope for water to flow out. Moreover, the trains might get stranded as they have to arrive at, or depart from, CST station and there is no way to divert them or terminate them elsewhere. Another location is Nanepada on the Nahur-Bhandup stretch, where a nullah is being widened. While the BMC wants a square block of cement pushed beneath the tracks, the CR wants tubes to pass below the rail tracks.

The Kurla-Sion stretch also sees regular flooding every monsoon. The officials claimed the issue has been resolved there and that the roads next to the tracks have been levelled; last year, there was a problem of flooding due to the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, and nets have been placed to prevent the garbage from coming onto the tracks.

While the BMC has promised to place 16 high-power water pumps along the tracks or outside the stations on the Thane-CST stretch, the CR will be installing 21 pumps along the entire Main line. CR has also removed 26,000 cubic metres of muck on its Main line (between CST and Karjat/Kasara) over the past few months. The 76 culverts on this stretch have been cleaned of muck and garbage.

BMC speak
Ajoy Mehta, municipal commissioner, said, "I personally reviewed the nullah cleaning campaign and the work was going on in full force. We are planning to create an underground drainage line along with the railways at various places, to resolve the issue of waterlogging." "We will be working in close coordination (with BMC) so that there are no problems during the monsoon. As of now, the preparations are complete," said Amitabh Ojha, DRM (Mumbai), CR.