The recently renovated Ratnagiri railway station, hailed as a ‘state-of-the-art’ facility during its grand inauguration, is once again in the spotlight—this time for all the wrong reasons. With heavy rains lashing the district, significant water leakage has been reported from the roof of the station for the second year in a row, prompting serious concerns over the quality of work despite crores being spent on the project.
Frustrated passengers have voiced their anger over the recurring issues. “Is this just politics of cost and credit-grabbing?” one commuter asked, as water trickled down the eastern side of the station facade, creating slippery platforms and puddles for the public to navigate.
In October 2023, just months after the renovation neared completion, strong winds during a rainstorm had already exposed structural weaknesses—damaging nearly 15 to 20 square feet of roof and cladding near the western entrance. That incident had sparked the first wave of doubts about the quality of the project, which was handled by the Public Works Department (PWD).
Now, the fresh leaks during the current monsoon have further damaged the station’s image. The project was executed using funds amounting to several crores, but passengers and local citizens are questioning where that money actually went. Many are pointing fingers at the PWD’s quality control and monitoring mechanisms, asking how such damage can occur so quickly in a newly constructed public facility.
Following public outrage, the PWD has reportedly begun emergency repairs, working to secure the roof’s waterproofing and cladding to prevent further water ingress.
The renovation work was inaugurated last year with much fanfare in the presence of Guardian Minister Uday Samant.
