Mumbai: A BMC bridge department team inspected the recently opened Vikhroli Rail Overbridge (ROB) after flooding during heavy rain. They found plastic waste clogged the water inlets, causing waterlogging. To prevent recurrence, BMC will add lateral inlets along the approach walls without altering the main structure and plans to install a drainage network on the slip road.
Vikhroli ROB Opens, Faces Flooding and Design Concerns
The 615-metre Vikhroli ROB, connecting LBS Marg in the west to the Eastern Express Highway in the east, was in planning for 15 years, with the work order issued in 2018. Completed in 2025, it was opened to traffic on June 14 without any funfare. However, the two-way bridge has only three lanes, without a central divider or footpaths—features BMC said aligned with the original administrative design. During Tuesday’s heavy downpour, parts of the flyover on the west side towards LBS Marg were submerged, raising concerns about the ROB’s design and planning.
Civic officials acknowledged that the elevation gap between LBS Marg and the Vikhroli station end causes rainwater to flow downhill and accumulate at the lower end of the bridge. However, they also pointed to indiscriminate littering by citizens as a major contributor to the waterlogging, noting that plastic and other waste had clogged the drainage inlets and hindered proper water flow. A senior civic official said, "To prevent such incidents from recurring, we plan to carve out additional lateral water inlets along the approach walls of the bridge,” said a senior civic official. “This will ensure that even if one or two inlets are blocked, rainwater can still drain through alternative outlets, he said. The official also added that these modifications would be made without altering the main structure. In the longer term, the BMC also plans to implement a proper drainage network along the slip road to ensure sustained protection against waterlogging.
