Andheri subway was closed 28 times due to flooding this monsoon: BJP MLA

Andheri subway shut 28 times this monsoon due to flooding. BJP MLA Ameet Satam proposed cost-effective remedies, deeming a ₹600 crore SWD project unfeasible.

Mumbai: The Andheri subway, a crucial east-west connector, was shut as many as 28 times this monsoon due to flooding, ranging from 15 minutes to four hours, revealed Ameet Satam, BJP MLA from Andheri West Constituency in a letter to the additional municipal commissioner (AMC) Abhijit Bangar on Monday.

Subway closed due to Heavy Rainfall at Andheri. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

Satam had visited the subway to study its storm water drains (SWD) along with ward officials and SWD officials on August 8, where the flooding was noted to result from water pouring in from the east towards the west side of the subway. Deeming previous plans of building an SWD through micro tunnelling as not feasible, he wrote, “To incur such a huge expense of ₹600 crore for this project is not feasible and advisable.”

He noted that micro tunnelling plans in the past too have been regarded as unfeasible, including a ₹140 crore from Andheri Subway to the Bhardawadi culvert, which was cancelled by then municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta after local opposition. The ₹600 crore plan was also regarded by IIT as unfeasible.

Instead, he suggested several remedies to the problem. The first proposed a solution akin to the Milan Subway, but suggested a tank or holding point at the east side, either below ground or on an open space, to accumulate the water in the east before it has a chance to flow into the subway.

Another suggested augmenting and increasing the capacity of the SWD network on SV Road, draining the water in the culvert at the Millionaire building in Andheri West. Yet another proposed widening the same nullah.

The second suggested rainwater harvesting pits in the SWD to soak as much water as possible, after a geological survey and opinion from IIT.

“Evaluate the existing sewer network on the east side and augment it to reduce the amount of sewerage water from flowing in,” he further wrote. These solutions, he offered, could prevent closures of the Andheri subway reducing the inconvenience of commuters at a low cost.