Mumbai: Prompt MMRDA Response Avert Potential Cave-In During Metro Line 7A Tunnelling At P&T Colony; Residents Alerted

Prompt response from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) helped avert a probable cave-in when a massive hole appeared during the tunnelling work for the Metro Line 7A at P&T Colony in Sahar. The issue was brought to notice by local residents who alerted the authorities after they saw the hole growing in size right outside residential buildings on Friday night.

“During the tunnelling work of Metro line 7A at P&T Colony in Sahar, an underground cavity and weak local soil strata were encountered unexpectedly. These conditions were not identified or analysed prior to the tunnelling activities taking place on the road surface in P&T Colony. Upon discovering this issue, the tunnelling operations using Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) were halted immediately and the subsided soil portion was addressed through grouting and concreting. As a safety measure, residents of nearby buildings were promptly relocated to hotel rooms in the vicinity of the colony,” a senior MMRDA official said.

“Following the completion of the concreting process, tunnelling work will resume only after ensuring the stability of the soil and the effectiveness of the cement grouting in the area. It is important to highlight that no individual or property was harmed during this incident, and every precaution is being taken to prevent any further cave-ins,” the official added.

Adv. Godfrey Pimenta, Trustee of Watchdog Foundation said, “Even though the MMRDA, through the contractor has immediately taken action in filing the large cave-in, but as a precautionary measure, the Authority should immediately conduct an inspection of the Metro Line 7A from Western Express Highway up to T2 Terminal, where the route of Metro Line is underground.”

Metro Line 7A is an extension of the operational Metro Line 7, which currently runs from Andheri (East) to Dahisar (East). This southern extension will directly connect Andheri (East) to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), providing a seamless travel experience for airport-bound passengers.