A day after waterlogging and mud-slinging, the BMC and Indian Railways jointly inspected spots were waterlogging was reported on Wednesday. The engineers visited Chunabhatti where water did not recede four hours after the rains decreased. In fact, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal reviewed the monsoon preparedness in Mumbai on June 10.
There was waterlogging at Sion, Kurla, Chunabhatti, Wadala and Kings Circle. However, the joint team inspected Chunabhatti, which is a low lying area, where water did not recede. The Central Railway said that mainly the water level of Mithi river touched 2.8m on Wednesday. Usually, when it is over 2.3m, there is severe waterlogging.
“The sluice gates didn’t work as water was not going into the sea. Also, there was high tide accompanied with heavy rains on Wednesday. Mithi river runs almost parallel to our rail tracks all the way from Matunga and further north. Initial inspection was done today and we will have to study it further,” said a senior CR official.
There was also waterlogging on Sion-Kurla stretch, wherein the water took time to recede. The Harbour line on CSMT-Mankhurd and Main line on CSMT-Thane stretch was affected due to waterlogging on the tracks. However, the situation was normal on Thursday and train services were not disrupted.
Goyal has asked the Railways to partner with institutions like IIT-Bombay to study the efficiency of technical and civil work initiatives of Railways in handling monsoon rains.
