Buried for decades, old drain emerges as possible fix for Malad subway floods

A defunct underground box drain discovered during an investigation into recurring flooding at the Malad subway could offer a longterm solution to one of the areas most persistent monsoon problems according to BJP corporator Adv Siddharth SharmaThe Ward 36 corporator said the drain which connects to the nearby Saptarshi nullah appears to have been abandoned for years and has accumulated massive quantities of silt Initial cleaning has already removed three truckloads of debris while an estimated 50 to 60 truckloads remain trapped insideBJP corporator advocate Siddharth Sharma extreme right inspects the site PicsBy Special ArrangementSharma urged the administration to restore and clean the drain claiming it could significantly reduce waterlogging at the busy eastwest connectorLocal historyAccording to Sharma anecdotal accounts gathered from local shopkeepers suggest the drain has been neglected for decades ldquoA 75yearold shopkeeper in the area confirmed that the drain existed during his childhood days and was constructed in 1962 However he also confirmed that no one from the BMC has cleaned the drain at least since 2006 or 2010rdquo said SharmaWhy Sharma began the probeThe Malad subway which floods between five and eight times every monsoon season disrupting trafficldquoMy efforts are aimed at finding a permanent solution to this longstanding problem faced by the residents of Malad putting an end to the monsoonrelated hardships they endure and ensuring the Malad subway becomes truly free from waterloggingrdquo Adv Siddharth SharmaOfficial SpeakA senior civic official said the administration is examining whether the abandoned drain can play a role in reducing flooding ldquoWe need to go back into our records and inspect why it was abandoned in the first place If this drain proves to be the solution we will take a wellthoughtout decision to reinstate itrdquo Senior civic officialWhat nextgtgt Larger access chamber constructedgtgt Robotic inspection is needed as per advocate Sharmagtgt Detailed cleaning of the entire drain proposedgtgt Assessment of the drainrsquos role in subway flooding underwaySharmas investigationWhat was foundgtgt A defunct underground box drain adjoining the Saptarshi nullah in Maladgtgt Drain believed to have been constructed in 1962gtgt Local shopkeepers claim it has not been cleaned since at least 20062010gtgt Three truckloads of debris and silt were removed during initial cleaninggtgt Missing link detected within the underground drainage systemgtgt An estimated 5060 truckloads of silt still remain insidegtgt Drain ultimately connects to the Saptarshi nullahTraffic nightmaregtgt Vehicles enter the subway unaware that it is floodedgtgt Motorists are forced to turn back through Sainath Roadgtgt Bottlenecks develop near the Bata showroomgtgt Traffic stretches from MTNL Junction to the Marve Road signalgtgt Congestion spills onto adjoining roadsgtgt When the subway closes commuters travelling between Malad East and West must use longer routes via Akurli Road in Kandivli or the MTNL flyover on the JogeshwariVikhroli Link RoadSharma meets bangarOn Wednesday Advocate Sharma met with Additional Commissioner Abhijit Bangar ldquoOn Wednesday BMC moved the suction machines to the nullah and they have started cleaning the nullah Since BMC started cleaning the drain about 10 more trucks of silt have been removed from the nullahrdquo Sharma saidVoices of concernAbid Beg Malad East residentlsquoMy driver and a friend were bringing my Scorpio jeep when they entered the subway without realising the depth of the water The vehicle got submerged and both lost their lives Our family has still not recovered from the shock If corrective work is not carried out this year and another accident occurs who will be held responsiblersquoChetan Mahobiya Malad West residentlsquoI urge BMC officials and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure that a permanent solution is implemented at the earliestrsquoVishal Gupta Charkop residentlsquoRegular use of the subway saves not only time but also money With petrol and diesel prices already putting pressure on household budgets the closure of the subway leads to additional fuel consumption and unnecessary expenses for commutersrsquoWhat you need to knowKey fact DetailsFlooding frequency 5 to 8 times every monsoon seasonMonsoon period June to SeptemberExisting pumps 2 dewatering pumpsLocation of pumps One on east side one on west sideEstimated silt removed 3 truckloadsEstimated silt still inside drain 5060 truckloadsAdditional travel when subway closes 34 km