19 June,2026 07:38 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The work was carried out by Central Railway with support from the BMC. Pic/CR
As part of its monsoon preparedness programme, Central Railway has completed the desilting of the Usha Nagar culvert near Bhandup railway station in Mumbai.
Officials said the work is expected to improve the flow of storm water during the rainy season and help prevent waterlogging on railway tracks, ensuring safer and smoother train operations.
The desilting work at Bridge No. 27/1 was carried out using a modern remote-controlled swing loader machine.
The compact machine is specially designed for cleaning railway culverts and allows operators to carry out the work from outside the structure, reducing exposure to sludge, debris and confined-space hazards.
According to railway officials, the machine can be operated from a distance of up to 80 metres and is capable of removing large quantities of soil, silt, rocks, wood and floating waste.
Central Railway said the use of remote-controlled equipment has significantly improved worker safety during maintenance operations.
By eliminating the need for workers to enter confined spaces, the technology reduces risks while also increasing the efficiency of cleaning activities.
The Usha Nagar culvert consists of four bays, each measuring 2.5 metres by 3 metres.
Desilting work began before the 2024 monsoon season. Three bays were cleaned before the 2025 monsoon, while the remaining bay has now been cleared, completing the entire project.
The work was carried out by Central Railway with support from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Officials said the project forms part of a wider monsoon preparedness strategy aimed at preventing flooding, protecting railway infrastructure and ensuring uninterrupted train services during periods of heavy rainfall.
With the monsoon season approaching, railway authorities are undertaking a series of preventive measures across the network.
The completion of the Usha Nagar culvert desilting project is expected to strengthen drainage capacity in the area and reduce the risk of rain-related disruptions on one of Mumbai's busiest suburban railway corridors.
The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has completed the construction of a waterproof pedestrian subway near Bhiwandi Road station on Central Railway's Panvel-Vasai Road section, providing a safe and all-weather crossing facility for pedestrians and two-wheeler users.
The 68-metre-long underground structure, with an internal size of 2.6 metresX3.0 metres, has been built beneath seven operational railway lines using advanced engineering techniques without disrupting train services. The subway has been designed to withstand heavy freight loading, including operations on the Dedicated Freight Corridor.
According to MRVC, the project involved the installation of four massive precast reinforced concrete segments using a sophisticated hydraulic pushing methodology. The subway has also been equipped with specialised waterproofing systems, including ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber gaskets, high-density poly ethylene (HDPE) membranes, flexible polyolefin (FPO) joint tapes and advanced sealing arrangements to provide long-term protection against water ingress.
