Mumbai: BMC to increase dewatering pumps on railway tracks

The BMC has completed over 75 per cent of the work of desilting in the city. However, the civic body has decided to increase the capacity of dewatering pumps on railway tracks. Altogether 28 pumps will be installed on all the three railway lines. The civic body has also asked the railway authorities to complete the trimming of trees, and cleaning of drains and culverts that run beneath the rail tracks, by May 31.

A coordination meeting was held by Additional Municipal commissioner P. Velarasu with railway authorities at the BMC headquarters on Tuesday. Both the authorities discussed the pre-monsoon work undertaken to ensure that heavy rains do not bring Mumbai’s lifeline to a standstill during monsoon. This year, the BMC will install high-pressure pumps at 18 places on the Central and Harbour lines, and at 10 places on the Western line. "These pumps will help prevent waterlogging and rapid pumping of water on railway tracks during heavy rains," said a BMC official.

To keep railway tracks flood-free last year the BMC installed pumps with 2000 cubic meters per hour capacity. But after last year's experience, the BMC will now install a 9000 cubic meter capacity pump at Masjid Bunder station, 24000 cubic metre capacity at Mahalaxmi station and 11,000 cubic meters capacity near Chunabhatti Railway station. Apart from this two pumps with a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters per hour are being installed between Prabhadevi and Dadar. The pumped water will be brought to the underground storage tanks at Pramod Mahajan Udyan.

Similarly, pumps are being installed at 6 places between Dadar to Matunga Road and 3 places near Bandra Terminus station. Pumps of different capacities are being installed at Masjid Station, Sandhurst, Byculla, Chinchpokli, Parel, Sion, Ghatkopar, Vidyavihar, Vikhroli, Bhandup, Nahur, Shivdi, Wadala, Tilak Nagar," said the BMC official.