Mumbai civic body fines MMRCL ₹96,000 for damaging water pipeline while doing Metro-3 work

The BMC has also issued a notice to Metro authorities saying “negligent and careless attitude” led to the incident

After imposing a fine of Rs11.11 lakh on the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) earlier in October for damaging water pipelines, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has again imposed another penalty of Rs96,000 on the Metro authority for rupturing a water pipeline in Fort last week.

Metro-3 is a fully underground line that will connect south Mumbai to the western suburbs. (Pic for Representation)

Civic officials said that the penalty has been imposed for the amount of water wasted owing to the rupture as the line was repaired by Metro authorities at their own cost.

Last week, a 150mm water pipeline was damaged near Siddharth College owing to Metro construction work. This was the seventh instance of Metro construction causing utility disruption in south Mumbai. Many areas in and around the construction site received muddy, foul water after to the rupture.

The BMC has also issued a notice to Metro authorities saying “negligent and careless attitude” led to the incident despite the fact that the staff knew the alignment of the water pipeline.

Metro-3 is a fully underground line connecting south Mumbai to the western suburbs. The 33.5-km line will have 27 stations along the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route. Earlier, the authorities have also received flak as the construction work caused distress for old, heritage buildings in the vicinity.

The ongoing work has ruptured water pipelines four times on DN Road and thrice on the J Tata road for which fines were imposed earlier in October, civic officials said.

A senior civic official from A ward of BMC said, “We have imposed the penalty for the waste of water as estimated by the hydraulic department. The lines have already been repaired by Metro authorities at their own cost. We are also ensuring that residents get clean water.”

A spokesperson from MMRCL said, “MMRCL conducts all its activities in a legal manner by taking necessary approvals from the respective competent authorities. Suggestions and instructions if any given by the competent authorities are also adhered to by the MMRCL and their contractors.”