A severe waterlogging incident at Acharya Atre Chowk Metro Station during the May 26 deluge has prompted penal action against the construction contractor, Dogus-Soma JV, exposing critical lapses in flood resilience infrastructure and operational readiness along Metro Line 3.
The flooding was triggered by a breach in a temporary cement precast wall, part of a fire safety barrier at Entry/Exit B2. The wall gave way under the pressure of torrential rains, allowing a deluge of rainwater and debris to inundate the concourse and platform levels. Sensitive systems including signalling, telecom, electrical infrastructure, and the station control room were adversely affected, temporarily halting services. Following the incident, a show-cause notice was issued by the Mumbai Metro Line 3 authority to the contractor, citing negligence in timely flood response and infrastructure integrity. As a result, a penalty of Rs 10 lakh was levied for failing to meet essential disaster mitigation protocols. Officials confirmed that the contractor completed full repair works within five days post-incident.
According to an internal assessment, a dewatering system was in place at the site, equipped with multiple submersible pumps. However, during the critical time window, the pumps were not activated. Sources familiar with the matter said the failure was attributed to an on-ground lapse in manual response rather than equipment inadequacy. Metro authorities have since described the event as an isolated occurrence, but transport experts have expressed concern over the vulnerability of critical urban infrastructure during increasingly frequent extreme weather events. The need for climate-resilient design and enhanced accountability in public infrastructure contracts has gained renewed focus.
Although repair works were promptly completed and no injuries were reported, the incident has sparked questions regarding the broader disaster preparedness of the Metro system, especially in the monsoon-prone city. Officials have indicated that no action will be initiated against metro administration personnel, though activist groups continue to demand systemic accountability. The matter underscores the imperative for more stringent quality checks, automated risk mitigation systems, and real-time disaster control readiness, particularly for projects positioned as vital to Mumbai’s sustainable urban transport vision.
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