Mumbai rains: Railways on fast track to halt flooding

A severely waterlogged Curry Road railway station on June 16, 2013. File Pic/Atul Kamble

The flooding of railway tracks during the monsoon months in Mumbai could be a thing of the past, as a network-wide comprehensive master plan is being developed, keeping in mind the city's geography, to tackle waterlogging decisively. The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), as first revealed to mid-day, has initiated this study on flood assessment and mitigation measures.

This involves exploring the Japanese model of underground holding ponds, such as 70-metre-tall underground floodwater cathedrals that comprise Tokyo's Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel (MAOUDC), an engineering marvel completed in 2006 after 13 years of construction. Such flood ponds could store water during high tide, preventing waterlogging once and for all. mid-day had first highlighted the issue in a front-page report in its April 3, 2025, edition.

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A severely waterlogged Curry Road railway station on June 16, 2013. File Pic/Atul Kamble

Why flooding occurs

The geographical location of Mumbai is such that it is flanked by the Arabian Sea and the Thane Creek. The western and eastern side suburban rail networks are located along the periphery, thus causing rainwater to pass through outlets below railway tracks before entering the sea or creek. Blockages and silting of the railway's bridges and culverts have considerably reduced their ability to drain water. Plastic, garbage, and other litter find their way into these waterways. Though annual exercise of cleaning of cross drains is undertaken before the monsoon season, it is not feasible at all times due to site constraints.

The constraints

The drainage network of Mumbai is about a century old, with a design suitable for optimum drainage at rainfall up to 25 mm per hour at low tide. Thus, any rainfall of higher intensity for a prolonged duration or rainfall coinciding with high tide eventually results in water stagnating, affecting train operations. A total of 2400 mm of rainfall is recorded on an average during the monsoon period from June to September, out of which about 1400 mm is recorded only during June and July. High rainfall, measuring about 300 mm a day, is quite common, with a high likelihood of rainfall exceeding the threshold limit of 25 mm per hour at high tide on several occasions during the monsoon season.

The study

The researchers plan to study suitable flood-control measures as well as stormwater drains, railway bridges, culverts, sewerage disposal systems, pumping systems, cross sections/gradients of existing drainage systems, locations of litter and debris along railway tracks, as well as carry out a detailed topographic survey, drone survey and flooding simulations.

Besides identifying deficiencies in the existing drainage system based on flooding simulations, the study proposes to prepare potential solutions on works needed to improve the drainage for increasing flow capacity of existing cross drains/providing new culverts, assessment of pumping arrangements, design of sewerage connections and feasibility for raising level of existing tracks.

"One of the key mitigation measures proposed in an IIT Bombay pilot study is also the construction of an underground regulating reservoir, similar to those implemented in Tokyo, Japan. But with a cautionary note to look at all possibilities and suggest if there is a better solution that is proven anywhere else in the world," an official said.

Geographical issues

"As Mumbai is affected by tidal water being close to the seashore, if there is heavy rain during high tide, rainwater gets accumulated above the tide level. If underground reservoirs or bypasses are constructed, they can be used as holding ponds/regulatory water reservoirs or flood diversion, and stored floodwater will be pumped out at low tide or diverted to low-risk areas. The study will identify and suggest open spaces owned by Indian Railways, the state government or BMC [Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation] in the adjoining areas of flood-prone locations for the construction of underground regulating reservoirs and study the potential of an underground bypass and propose the alignment and other technical details," he added. The study also includes a risk management and emergency action plan till permanent measures are put in place.

Expert Speak

Jagdeep Desai
Architect, academician, founder trustee and chairperson of Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai

‘The principle is fine. Excavating such large tanks means a huge quantity of earth and mud will be dug up. Where will this be dumped? Plus, a lot of construction is required, which is time-consuming and expensive. How will collected rainwater be removed before the next deluge? Instead, maybe create hundreds or thousands of appropriately planned, deep discharge pits, which will allow water to permeate into the ground and will also revive groundwater. We need to consider our monsoon rain quantity and intensity.'

AV Shenoy, Member, Mumbai Vikas Samiti and Mumbai Mobility Forum

‘BMC has already implemented it successfully at King's Circle and Hindmata. Railways should take up this work as it is clear that Metros have not been successful in reducing the load of suburban railways'

Flooding locations on WR and CR lines that have been listed for study

Western Railway

1 Churchgate - Marine Lines
2 Grant Road South end local line
3 Charni Road - Mumbai Central
4 Elphinstone Road - Dadar
5 Dadar - Mahim
6 Mahim - Bandra Harbour line
7 Bandra - Khar
8 Andheri Yard north end
9 Andheri - Jogeshwari Harbour line
10 Jogeshwari Terminus (Nestle siding)
11 Goregaon Yard east side
12 Goregaon - Malad
13 Malad - Kandivli
14 Borivli yard
15 Naigaon - Vasai
16 Vasai-Nalasopara
17 Nalasopara - Virar

Central Railway

1 Dockyard- Cotton Green 3/19 - 4/0
2 Sewri-Wadala 8/10 - 8/30
3 Wadala-Ravli 9/18 - 9/20
4 GTB Nagar- Chunabhatti (including station platform) 13/2 - 13/4
5 CSMT - Masjid 0/800 - 1/100
6 CSMT - Masjid 1/8 - 1/20
7 Sandhurst Road - Byculla, including Mazagaon yard 2/0 - 2/4
8 Sandhurst Road- Byculla 2/16 - 2/20
9 Mazgaon - Byculla 3/16 - 3/20
10 Byculla yard 4/7 - 5/0
11 Chinchpokli - Currey Road 5/16 - 6/1
12 Currey Road - Parel 7/9 - 7/13
13 Parel-Dadar 8/1 - 8/4
14 Matunga workshop 9/20 - 10/15
15 Matunga - Sion12/5 - 13/0
16 Matunga - Sion 13/6 - 13/8
17 Sion - Kurla 14/0 - 15/0
18 Kurla - Trombay 15/0 - 16/04
19 Sion - Kurla 15/100 - 15/400
20 Trombay yard 19/05 - 19/19
21 Kurla - Vidyavihar (including Kurla carshed) 16/4 - 17/0
22 LTT yard 16/900 - 17/200
23 Vidyavihar - Ghatkopar 17/600 - 17/900
24 Ghatkopar - Vikhroli 19/800 - 20/200
25 Vikhroli - Kanjurmarg 23/7 - 24/7
26 Kanjurmarg - Bhandup 25/5 - 25/7
27 Kanjur Marg - Bhandup 26/5 - 26/8
28 Nanepada culvert and Mulund platform 1 29/5 - 30/1
29 Mulund - Thane (including Thane Station) 32/8 - 33/12
30 Kalwa station 35/6 - 36/1
31 Kalwa - Mumbra 37/7 - 37/10
32 Airoli- Thane 38/23 - 38/25
33 Rabale - Airoli 41/11 - 41/13
34 Ghansoli 43/32 - 43/34
35 Turbhe yard 47/600 - 47/800
36 Dombivli - Thakurli 48/30 - 48/32
37 Kurla -Tilak Nagar 16/0 - 16/2
38 Chembur - Govandi 17/5 - 17/8
39 Mankhurd - Vashi 21/3 - 21/8