Jawed Khurshid

Earlier, the rainwater trickles through the ‘porous’ roof of the much touted state of the art Mumbai Metro; now the platforms and below it too seeps – drenching passengers, motorists and pedestrians alike.  

As the monsoon intensifies, the rainwater started oozing through the gaps between girders on which the Metro tracks are placed, falling on pedestrians and motorists below the corridor.

It may not pose risk during moderate showers but during torrential rains the force of the flow increases and is a cause of concern for those walking below the corridor as the water lands on their head with considerable force.

For an unwary motorist, driving below the corridor may prove to be a shocker as he may lose his balance due to it. On Wednesday, we saw that the water was oozing out with great force during the heavy shower.

In 2013, when the corridor was still to be completed, people had thought that the flow of leaking water was due to the incomplete structure. It is now grown over one month old but the issue still persists, with attention paid either by MMOPL or MMRDA authorities.

Nirmal Jha, a resident of Versova, Andheri, said, “During past year in 2013, when I drive through the metro corridor I observed ‘showers’ falling from the Metro slab. I thought that as the project was still under construction stage, the problem would be worked out after its completion. However, I was shocked to see the water falling below the metro corridor at many places.

The metro administration should develop suitable pipe system through which the rainwater can be released directly inside the storm water drains.