Mumbai, May 26 (IANS) Amid strong criticism by the opposition over flooding of the newly started Worli Acqua Line metro station, the Mumbai Metropolitan Rail Corporation (MMRC) on Monday clarified that due to the sudden and intense rainfall on Monday, water seepage was reported at the under-construction entry/exit structure of Acharya Atrey Chowk station, located along Dr Annie Besant Road at Worli.

The incident occurred when the RCC water-retaining wall constructed at the entry/ exit collapsed due to a sudden ingress of water from an adjoining utility.

“We would like to clarify that this portion of the entry/exit, where water seepage is observed, is still under construction and not accessible to the public. As a precautionary measure, and to ensure passenger safety, train services between Worli and Acharya Atrey Chowk have been temporarily suspended. However, the train services from Aarey JVLR to Worli are not affected and are running regularly. Our engineering and safety teams are on-site and working on a war footing to address the issue,” said the MMRC.

The agency said that they deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our commuters and request their patience and cooperation, adding that safety remains their highest priority, and services will resume only after all systems are fully secure and operational.

Earlier, passengers had to strive to get out of the Acharya Atrey Chowk station, located along Dr Annie Besant Road at Worli, as it was flooded due to seepage of rainwater.

The unexpected flooding led the authorities to curtail metro services as the trains were operating up to Worli and not up to the Acharya Atrey Chowk. The visuals of waterlogged platforms on social media attracted strong criticism from the passengers and opposition parties.

Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray said that this is not the first time it has rained.

“Just last week, the Andheri subway was flooded. The government and BMC are responsible for Mumbai’s condition. The city is suffering due to corruption by the ruling parties in the BMC and the control exercised over the BMC from Mantralaya. What has the so-called ‘Infra Man’ done for the city?” he said.

On the other hand, the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief Varsha Gaikwad also slammed the state government.

In her post on X, she said: “The newly thrown open Mumbai Metro 3! The much hyped underground Metro is flooded, water can be seen leaking from the roof, and water is flowing through the stairs. The Acharya Atre station has been closed, and traffic has been suspended! Does the Mahabrashth Yuti even care how dangerous a submerged underground metro is? Why were these checks and balances not done? Why wasn’t enough precaution taken? How can people trust underground metro travel on heavy rain days? The government must answer, it must fix responsibility. We don’t want hyped inaugurations, but basic safety and functionality.”

–IANS

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