Unlike tall claims made by the Central Railway, there is every chance that the low lying stretches of Matunga-Sion-Kurla will see water logging this year as well. This despite, the CR authorities raising the tracks by 4 inches in a bid to tackle waterlogging and flooding during monsoon.
The reason being a proposed stormwater drain planned last year, which still remains a plan on paper.
In July 2018, there was a meeting that took place between Central Railway (CR) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), to discuss the trouble faced on the Dadar-Kurla stretch, particularly between Matunga and Sion railway stations. Last year too there was water logging on tracks between Sion and Matunga and trains struggled to move. The existing drains under city limits, are diverted via Matunga workshop of CR and joins the Dadar-Dharavi nullah.
However, over the years this stormwater drain in Matunga has proved to be hydraulically insufficient to carry the water flow. And that during heavy rains, there is a backflow of water and land on the rail tracks and rail workshop. Senior railway officials said that the BMC proposed a permanent solution to ease waterlogging at Matunga which is a low lying area. The 4-kilometre route is one of the most affected on the Central line during monsoon.
"There was this proposal for a stormwater drain at Matunga, however, the BMC administration has not been able to do much. It is also the railways' job to ensure that tracks and culverts are cleaned to prevent water logging," said Ravi Raja, leader of the opposition, BMC.
The minutes of that meeting stated the need for connecting all rail drains. "A wider rectangular drain was planned on the east side of the rail tracks at Matunga outside rail premises. There was supposed to be two such drainage pipes of 2.5-meter width. This new drainage line was meant to be ready before this monsoon, however, nothing much has happened," said a CR official on condition of anonymity.
The depth of this stormwater drain was supposed to be at least 4 meters deep, which would have meant that large quantum of water could have flowed towards the nullah after crossing tracks. "There was a pumping station too planned at the outlet point in Dadar-Dharavi nullah that would have helped during high tide days," added the official.
Down The Drain
- 4 inches height of tracks raised between Matunga-Sion
- 3 km length of the proposed stormwater drain at Matunga-Sion
- Rs 10-12 crore cost of this project
- 30 mm rains that submerge tracks at these two stations
