Mumbai's Matunga Railway Workshop Pumps Oxygen Into Underground Culvert For Safe Monsoon Cleaning

Mumbai: In a first-of-its-kind monsoon preparedness measure, railway authorities pumped oxygen into a 250-metre-long culvert beneath the Matunga railway workshop to enable workers to safely carry out cleaning and desilting operations. The culvert, which connects the Dadar-Dharavi (DD) nullah to the Mithi River, is considered one of the most critical drainage links for Mumbai’s suburban railway network.

The enclosed culvert had become difficult to maintain over the years because of methane and other toxic gases trapped inside. Railway officials said repeated attempts to clean the structure posed safety risks to workers. To address the issue, oxygen was pumped into the culvert before conservancy staff entered the tunnel-like channel. The operation was carried out with support from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Following the safety measures, workers undertook extensive desilting using super-sucker machines and removed large quantities of silt, floating waste, debris and vegetation that had accumulated inside the drainage channel. Officials said nearly 250 metres of the DD nullah stretch, extending from beneath the Matunga workshop to the Railway Protection Force barracks, was cleaned and restored to its original carrying capacity.

The project forms part of a larger flood-mitigation plan ahead of the monsoon season. The Matunga-Dadar railway section has historically witnessed severe waterlogging during heavy rainfall, particularly between kilometre markers 11/5 and 12/8. Technical assessments carried out by railway engineers identified restricted storm-water flow beneath the workshop area, reduced hydraulic capacity of Culvert No. 14A and heavy silt accumulation as major reasons for flooding on the suburban corridor.

During intense rainfall, water flowing through the DD nullah often faced hydraulic restrictions, leading to backflow and accumulation of water on railway tracks. Such incidents affected train services and delayed the drainage of floodwaters. Officials said the latest intervention has significantly improved the movement of storm water towards the Mithi River and strengthened the area's drainage network.

Apart from desilting works, railways have also undertaken track-raising projects, drainage improvements and monitoring measures in the section. Authorities expect the combined efforts to reduce the risk of flooding and help maintain uninterrupted suburban train operations during the monsoon.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/