Mumbai: A water supply contractor has been booked after a borewell drilling operation allegedly damaged a tunnel of the city’s underground Metro Line-3 near Metro Cinema in South Mumbai. According to police, the accused, identified as Rambabu Raay, was summoned for questioning on Thursday but failed to appear before investigators. An officer from Azad Maidan Police Station confirmed that a second summons has now been issued to him.
Meanwhile, officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appeared before the police on Friday and recorded their statements. Tushar Wagh, a pesticide officer from the A Ward, and junior assistant Rahul Bachude stated that no permission had been granted for the borewell work. Based on their statements, police have also invoked Section 381 of the BMC Act in the case.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr. Pravin Mundhe told The Free Press Journal that an offence has been registered against Raay, proprietor of Chandrama Water Supply Pvt Ltd, under Sections 125, 324(5), and 326(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 78 of the Metro Railway Act. The incident occurred on March 5, 2026, and the case was registered on March 13 at Azad Maidan Police Station. Police said no prior permission was taken from the BMC for the borewell drilling.
Also Watch:
Officials said the incident took place within the area of a government office near the Metro Cinema area. Based on a complaint filed by metro civil engineer Pankaj Sharma, police registered the case against Raay, who is also linked to Chandrama Water Supply Company.
Preliminary investigations revealed that around 15 days prior to the complaint, the contractor attempted to drill a borewell near an old well close to the CSMT Metro station. During the process, a hole of six inches was allegedly created in the tunnel of the Metro Line-3.
The 33.5-km fully underground Metro Line-3 corridor, connecting Aarey to Cuffe Parade, became fully operational in October 2025 and has since witnessed a steady increase in ridership, particularly due to its connectivity to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Police officials said that despite the damage, metro services have not been affected. No arrests have been made so far, and further investigation is underway.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
