MRVC Invites Consultants To Draft Flood Mitigation Master Plan For Mumbai’s Suburban Rail Network

As Mumbai’s suburban railway system increasingly becoming vulnerable to flooding each monsoon, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd. (MRVC) has initiated the process of preparing a comprehensive flood control master plan for the Western and Central Railway networks. The step comes in the wake of repeated disruptions to train services during heavy rains — a regular annual ordeal for lakhs of commuters. 

MRVC has now invited expressions of interest from eligible consulting firms to carry out a year-long study under the assignment titled "Preparation of Comprehensive Flood Control Master Plan for Mumbai Suburban System of Western and Central Railway." The initiative is being financed under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)–III-A, with funds from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). For MUTP III A year 2025-26,a budget allocation of Rs 877 crore has been made. 

The MRVC in its EOI stated that due to Mumbai’s unique topography — bordered by the Arabian Sea and several creeks — rainwater runoff from surrounding areas must pass under the railway lines before reaching natural outfalls. However, inadequate drainage, silting, and unplanned urban development have rendered key stretches of the rail corridor prone to waterlogging. The result is widespread delays, temporary halts in operations, and significant inconvenience to daily commuters.

MRVC, the nodal agency responsible for upgrading suburban rail infrastructure in Mumbai, has now proposed a network-wide flood vulnerability and mitigation assessment. The proposed consultancy work includes detailed tasks such as Topographical surveys and reconnaissance visits, Mapping of existing drainage systems, Use of high-resolution aerial imagery and contour mapping, Identification of flooding hotspots, Design proposals for new or widened culverts, sewerage upgrades, and Feasibility analysis of raising track levels.

The consultant will also be required to prepare concept plans with cost estimates and submit detailed project reports (DPRs) for select priority locations, to be taken up under Phase-I.

To qualify, consulting firms must demonstrate experience in flood mitigation projects in urban settings over the last decade, possess a strong financial record, and have a team with relevant technical expertise. The deadline to submit expressions of interest via the government’s e-procurement portal is 3 PM on July 1, 2025.

The plan, once executed, is expected to serve as a long-term solution to chronic flooding and will be critical to ensuring the resilience of Mumbai’s busiest and most vital public transport system.

A senior MRVC official said that since the bids will be opened in July, additional time will be required to evaluate them and finalise the appointment of a consultant—provided a sufficient number of eligible bids are received. Interested firms, too, are likely to seek time to prepare their proposals. As a result, the comprehensive mitigation plan is expected to be prepared only by the next monsoon, as studying chronic flooding spots effectively requires observations during the rainy season itself, which will conclude before the process is completed.