Mumbai: The first closure of the Andheri subway this monsoon has once again exposed the BMC's struggle to find a lasting solution to one of the city's most persistent flooding hotspots. While the civic body is weighing options such as a holding pond and drainage diversion with technical support from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, the proposals remain on paper. With no final plan or work order in place, commuters are unlikely to see any relief this monsoon.
After the Andheri subway was shut at 7.40 am due to waterlogging, the BMC pressed its dewatering machinery into service to restore traffic movement. The civic body has deployed three pumps at the location this year, capable of draining a combined 2,500 cubic metres of water every hour. The efforts helped clear the accumulated water within minutes, allowing the subway to reopen for vehicular traffic by 8.24 am.
However, the incident reignited questions over the BMC's readiness for the monsoon, as one of Mumbai's chronic flooding hotspots was forced to shut after just an hour of heavy rainfall.
"The Andheri subway remains one of Mumbai's most flood-prone locations due to its unique topography. The saucer-shaped stretch lies below the surrounding roads, causing rainwater from higher elevations to accumulate there. The problem is compounded by the nearby Mogra Nullah, whose overflow frequently inundates the subway during spells of intense rainfall," an official said. He further added that while the BMC is working on a long-term plan to make the subway flood-free, the project is still in the planning stage and construction is likely to commence only after the monsoon, post-October this year.
The early-season flooding also sparked a political row, with Mumbai Congress chief and MP Varsha Gaikwad taking aim at the BMC's monsoon preparedness. "The monsoon has not even officially arrived, yet the Andheri subway is submerged after a brief spell of rain. The BMC's claims of spending crores on drain desilting and flood preparedness stand exposed," she said in a social media post.
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