Mumbai: Andheri subway may see closures this monsoon season too

The Andheri subway on July 22, 2023. Pic/Anurag Ahire

The Andheri subway was closed 21 times due to heavy rainfall between July and September 2023 due to accumulation of water and such flooding is expected this year as well. Nullah-widening projects worth R100 crore, which will provide some relief, are still in their primary phase and won't be completed before 2026.

Last year, when the crucial east-west connector Gokhale Bridge was entirely shut for traffic, the Andheri subway was the only option for commuters heading either side.

The BMC floated tenders estimated at Rs 100 crore for three works to resolve the flooding issue of the Andheri subway in August 2022. The BMC will widen Mogra nullah from SV Road to Veera Desai Road and divert the nullah from the south side of Bhardawadi Culvert on JP Road to DN Nagar Metro station till Crystal Point Mall. The third work, diverting the nullah at Veera Desai Road to the courtyard junction to the RTO junction till City Mall has also been taken up.
The work will take an estimated 18 months, excluding the monsoon period, to be completed.

A BMC official said "The work is going on and you can see it while travelling in Andheri. The phase of SV Road to Veera Desai Road may be completed by 2025 but the other two phases will be completed in 2026. But we fear it will not be enough as the nullah cannot accommodate the flow of water coming rapidly from the east side amid heavy rainfall. It has to be widened but it is not possible due to structures on both sides."

Another officer said the BMC is looking for a solution while laying an additional six by 2.5-foot or 125-sq-ft drain line to divert and discharge the heavy flow of water. The project report is ready and the work in two phases will require Rs 400 crore. "The work needed approval from the newly appointed additional commissioner. Once he approves it, we will float tenders after the elections," said the official.

The BMC also tried to use a high-capacity water pump last year, but it didn't yield the expected results. The main aim of the pump is to displace water into another big channel or the sea. The sea is 3 km from the subway and the drains are narrow. The issue of construction of the Mogra pumping station has been halted for years for one or the other reason. A land dispute case is being heard in the Bombay High Court. The pumping station was suggested in the BRIMSTOWAD project by the Chitale committee that was set up after the flood of July 2005.

Rs 100cr
Cost of 3 nullah-widening projects

‘Get EC nod for fixing Barfiwala flyover issue'

MLA Ameet Satam has requested the BMC to ensure the Barfiwala flyover is linked to Gokhale Bridge as soon as possible. Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute has made technical recommendations that the bridges be connected and the gap filled. The work will take around 90 days. Since the model code of conduct for elections is in place, the BMC will be restricted. Satam wrote to civic chief Bhushan Gagrani to get special permission from the Election Commission to execute the work so it would be completed around the monsoon period. "Else the work proposed by VJTI should be incorporated in the existing allotted work of construction of Gokhale bridge and executed by the same agency," his letter read.