Mumbai: Mini-pumping station near Andheri Subway to curb waterlogging

According to BMC officials, there will be a sump pit — like a small water holding tank — at the ground level, adjoining the pumping station, to collect the rainwater from the road that will flow directly into the pit.

The water stored in the pit will then be pumped out to the adjoining Mogra Nullah with the help of mini pumps by creating a channel of Storm Water Drains (SWD). “We have floated a plan for building this mini-pumping station, and we are carrying out a feasibility study to ensure that we can carry out the construction work there without interrupting the traffic in the area,” P Velrasu, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) told The Indian Express.

The BMC earlier this year, had set up mini-pumping stations accompanied by sump-pits and water-holding tanks at the Gandhi Market and Hindmata junction in South Central Mumbai, which were earlier known as “chronic flooding spots” of the city. With no heavy waterlogging reported from these two spots, the traffic was smooth there throughout the monsoon this year.

Senior officials from the SWD department, BMC, said that a model similar to the Gandhi Market project will be implemented in Andheri.

“The mini-pumping station will be set up on the eastern side of the Andheri station, where the maximum proportion of water gets accumulated during the monsoon. Once this project is completed, the area will not witness traffic congestion too. Rainwater will be pumped out from the sump pits, with the help of seven to eight water pumps, which will discharge the accumulated water into a nullah, which is 800m away from the subway,” said a senior official from the SWD department, on anonymity.

A tender for this project will be floated by November, and an order for the same will be issued by December, said BMC officials, adding that the estimated project cost would be around Rs 60 crore.

Dhaval Shah, a local and co-founder of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizen’s Association (LOCA), said that with the plans to install a pumping station in the area, the BMC should also work towards clearing silt in the nullah to ensure a free flow of discharged wastewater. “The Mogra nullah has been encroached from both sides, and is filled with garbage and other such material… It needs to be desilted properly,” said Shah.