Seepage at Acharya Atre Chowk: MMRC Assures Safety

Mumbai, May 27 (PTI): The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) reported that water seepage inside the Acharya Atre Chowk Metro station was due to an unexpected event, which could not have been forestalled. The Corporation has assured that there is no threat to the safety of the underground Metro system. In a video statement released on Tuesday evening, MMRC Managing Director Ashwini Bhide emphasized that the incident posed no safety risks to the underground Metro. Bhide asserted that all standard operating procedures were meticulously followed after the incident that occurred on Monday morning. Heavy rains in Mumbai led to rainwater entering the Acharya Atre Chowk Metro station at Worli Naka, affecting the concourse and platform levels of the city’s maiden underground Metro line, the “Aqua Line”. This event sparked concerns about passenger safety and also led to a political debate. During a five-minute video statement, Bhide referred to the situation as an infrequent occurrence and reassured passengers of their safety on the 33-km underground corridor connecting Colaba-BKC-Aarey (JVLR). She mentioned that the incident was unpredictable due to approximately 90 mm of rainfall within 90 minutes. Bhide confirmed the safety of the operational underground corridor between Aarey (JVLR) and Worli, highlighting that over 40,000 passengers used the route on the same day. She specified that apart from Acharya Atre Chowk, the entire corridor was safe and performed normally. In adherence to SOPs, everyone inside the station was evacuated, and Metro operations at Acharya Atre Chowk were suspended. She assured the public that preventive measures are being implemented to avoid similar incidents, including the construction of a permanent protection wall to counter water seepage. “Passenger safety remains our top priority, and we adhere to all protocols to ensure a safe and comfortable journey,” stated Bhide. She elaborated that due to intense rainfall and high tides, roughly 11 lakh litres of stormwater accumulated in a pit at one of the three still-under-construction entry-exits of the station. The pit was unable to withstand the water volume, and consequent soil seepage allowed water to breach the underground station. However, the tunnels and tracks remained unaffected. A flood protection system, a bund wall outside the entry-exit, was in place but couldn’t manage this unanticipated eventuality. Water pressure overwhelmed the current setup, allowing water ingress into the station. Bhide refrained from providing a specific timeline for when Metro services would resume from Acharya Atre Chowk. “While an exact date remains uncertain, efforts are underway to restore operations promptly,” MMRC spokesperson Vaidehi More stated. The first phase of the underground Metro line, covering 12.69 km between Aarey Colony (JVLR) and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 7, 2024. The second phase, measuring 9.77 km between BKC and Acharya Atre Chowk, opened to the public on May 10.

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