Bandra, Khar to get waterlogged this monsoon

Several areas in Bandra and Khar, including those along SV Road – one of the most crucial arterial roads in the western suburbs – are expected to get waterlogged as the civic body is unable to widen the major storm-water drain (SWD) in Bandra.

According to a report in the Asian Age, to prevent waterlogging in these areas, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) needs to widen the Chamdawadi nullahs to allow draining of rainwater into the Arabian Sea.

The civic body, however, is unable to proceed with the work as over 300 structures have encroached the area and are obstructing the nullah-widening work.

Further, the affected locals have managed to get a stay from the Bombay High Court on the removal of encroachments.

The clogged nullahs may lead to waterlogging in Bandra and Khar, including areas along SV Road, National College, Jay Bharat Railway Colony, and others.

Others like Kherwadi junction, Kalanagar junctions, RK Mission Junction and Amarsons on Linking Road are also prone to waterlogging.

Since widening it is out of option before the arrival of monsoon, the civic body’s SWD department has reportedly decided to install a higher capacity submergible dewatering pump to decrease the duration of waterlogging.

Last year, four pumps of 240 cubic metres were installed, which will be replaced by a 1,000 cubic metre submergible dewatering pump this monsoon.

“The ward office will approach the court to sort out the matter. As soon as the ward office removes all the encroachments, we will widen the nullah. However, as monsoon is on its way now, it seems difficult this season,” a senior officer from the SWD department told the daily.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have identified over 200 locations in the city that could be prone to waterlogging this monsoon.