Mumbai: Six spots on CR overflowing with garbage, say officials

The railway maintenance department cleans the drains on these stretches every month, but the garbage accumulates again on the tracks within 2-3days. The situation worsens during rains, often resulting in floods.

The increasing amount of garbage on at six spots on the Central Railway (CR) line has led to maintenance problems for the administration.

The railway maintenance department cleans the drains on these stretches every month, but the garbage accumulates again on the tracks within 2-3days. The situation worsens during rains, often resulting in floods.

“We clean these drains every month but the garbage discarded by the adjoining slums and buildings causes the drains to choke within three days. Besides, some slums’ toilets let out their refuse onto the railway tracks, which results in unhygienic condition for our staff while working,” said senior railway official, requesting anonymity.

The six stretches include Matunga-Sion, Wadala Raoli junction, Sandhurst Road-Byculla, Masjid Bunder- Sandhurst Road, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST)-Masjid Bunder (Harbour line) and Kopar-Dombivli slow line. Floods, increasing amount of garbage leads to railway tracks being corroded faster, which results in an increase in the maintenance cost. The railways officials claim that residents from buildings and towers located adjacent to the railway tracks are also seen throwing garbage on tracks.

Commuter activists blamed a lack of coordination between railways and BMC for the pathetic condition of the tracks.

“There is no coordination between railways and BMC for garbage disposal. The BMC should collect garbage from each station as they collect it from residential areas. At the same time, railways should start slapping notices on slums and buildings for spoiling the aesthetics of railways and conduct joint visits with BMC in the nearby areas,” said Gaurang Damani, member of CR’s Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC).