Mumbai Metro work shuts civic body’s online services; officials yet to repair damaged cable

The cable was damaged on Friday.

Mumbaiites trying to access the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) online services for the past five days were left fuming as the underground data cable was damaged during Metro-3 construction in Worli on Friday.

Several online services such as applications for various licences, construction permits, fire NOCs, citizens helpline centers and a bill payment gateway have been shut. A civic official said, “The underground MTNL data cable, which connects to the BMC’s main server, was damaged at several places on Friday. It was temporarily repaired, but was damaged again on Monday.”

The official said the BMC was repairing the 100 -150 meter cable and would take some time before services are restored.

Some citizens who were lucky enough to avail online services have failed to get any response from the civic body since Friday.

A spokesperson from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC), which is constructing the Metro-3 corridor, said, “Data cables are generally six metres below the surface, and Metro work is carried out up to four meters. But somehow this cable was damaged. The issue has now been resolved from MMRC’s side.”