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Mumbai civic body washes its hands of water-logging issues in SoBo, blames Metro work
The BMC ha alleged that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited has failed to take precautions specified in a June 29 letter.
With several areas in south Mumbai waterlogged, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has blamed Metro-3 work for people’s woes.
Cuffe Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Churchgate, Hutatma Chowk, etc, saw severe flooding following heavy rainfall on Sunday. The BMC claimed that the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL) had failed to take precautions specified in a June 29 letter. The BMC has alleged that severe waterlogging was observed in A ward of south Mumbai on Sunday. Assistant commissioner of A ward Kiran Dighavkar said, “Areas around all Metro stations such as Cuff Parade, Vidhan Bhavan, Church gate and Hutatma Chowk were waterlogged. These areas have not seen waterlogging before.”
In the letter written the MMRCL, the BMC had said it found MMRCL’s anti-waterloggin measures wanting. The letter also observed that a sedimentation tank was not installed at any of the Metro stations, and slurry water was directly being discharged into the ward’s storm water drainage system, without BMC’s permission.
Dighavkar said, “Slurry water was leading to sedimentation in the drainage system, blocking their water carrying capacity. During pre-monsoon inspection work, the BMC had found that the minimum required number of dewatering pumps at each Metro station was not installed. The BMC informed them to take immediate measures.”
The letter also threatened action by the BMC for damaging the city’s storm water drain system. However, a spokesperson from MMRCL refuted the allegations. According to MMRCL, “There was no waterlogging in south Mumbai owing to Metro-3 work. All precautions are being taken by us.”
Earlier, mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar had said that the BMC will not be responsible for flooding near Metro sites.
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