Mumbai rains: Bombay HC pulls up railways

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express was stopped at Nallasopara station with the power supply in the train cut off as a precautionary step.

Mumbai, July 10: With heavy rains disrupting the movement of local trains in Mumbai, bringing the city to a standstill, the Bombay High Court has lashed out at the railways and asked why the height of the tracks was not raised in all these years. The HC asked when the railways have been facing waterlogging problems every year during monsoon, why an initiative was not taken to tackle the problem.

"Central and Western Railway have not done anything. Even after so many years suburban railway tracks are submerged in rains. Why can't you raise the height of tracks to avoid flooding?:" the court reportedly asked.

Road and rail traffic was disrupted as heavy rains continued to batter Mumbai and its neighbouring areas for the fourth straight day today. While the rainfall has already caused traffic snarls due to knee-deep water, local train services on Western Railways line were also stopped today.

Western Railways shared a photo of rail tracks in Nallasopara on the outskirts of Mumbai where the tracks seemed to be completely submerged in water. The water levels near the tracks rose to 460 mm, the railways said.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Shatabdi Express was stopped at Nallasopara station with the power supply in the train cut off as a precautionary step.

Mumbai's Dabbawalas, the tiffin careers of the city, have also suspended their work today in the entire city.

Amid torrential rain, several big and small rivers, streams and ponds in the tourist hotspots like Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Tansa Forest Sanctuary and Yeoor Hills besides Vaitarna, Surya and Ulhas rivers overflowed.