Ashish Shelar, Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister in the Maharashtra government, on Saturday, 13 June directed the Railways, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), BEST, District Collectorates, Metro authorities, and all other concerned agencies to prepare a unified emergency response plan and operate in close coordination ahead of the monsoon season. The directive came during a review meeting on desilting works and pre-monsoon preparedness across railway areas in Mumbai.

What the Integrated Plan Must Cover

Shelar instructed that the integrated emergency plan address crowd management at railway stations, evacuation of passengers from overcrowded platforms, easing of traffic congestion on adjoining roads, and provision of food and drinking water to stranded commuters. He further directed that CCTV surveillance systems, public announcement mechanisms, and emergency control rooms of all agencies be linked and coordinated in real time.

The minister also called for structural audits of pedestrian bridges inside and outside railway stations, vehicular bridges, and hoardings located within station precincts. An integrated pump deployment plan — covering equipment belonging to both the Railways and the BMC — was also mandated.

Dilapidated Buildings: A Parallel Concern

Shelar directed officials to prepare a detailed rehabilitation report for residents living in 24 dilapidated and dangerous buildings, as well as certain slum structures located within railway jurisdiction in and around Masjid Bunder. The report is to be submitted to the government for further action — a directive that underscores the dual challenge Mumbai faces: managing flood risk while addressing the vulnerability of those living in structurally unsafe structures near rail corridors.

What Railways Have Done So Far

Western Railway informed the meeting that a total of 15 micro-tunnels have been constructed beneath railway tracks between Churchgate and Virar to facilitate water drainage, of which four have been completed this year. The number of pumps deployed for dewatering has been increased to 126, and approximately 2,400 wagon-loads of silt have been removed, according to a press release from the minister's office.

Central Railway has scaled up its pump deployment to 220 units and completed cleaning of 160 drains and gutters along its 350-kilometre network. CCTV cameras and rain gauges have been installed across both railway corridors.

Key Infrastructure Upgrades Underway

Railway officials highlighted that the deepening and widening of the Usha Nagar drain at Kanjurmarg and the Brahmanwadi drain at Kurla are expected to significantly improve water discharge capacity during heavy rainfall events. Representatives from both the Railways and the BMC acknowledged that inter-agency coordination has improved markedly compared to previous years.

With Mumbai's monsoon season imminent, the onus now falls on these agencies to translate directives into an operational, real-time response framework before the first heavy rains arrive.