CR will test sluice gate at Matunga to check flooding

MUMBAI:RAILWAY authorities are planning to take a series of measures to prevent waterlogging on suburban railway tracks. One of the methods they are testing first is a sluice gate that regulates backflow of water within the Matunga station.

According to Central Railway (CR) officials, their engineers are currently designing a sluice gate measuring nine square metres at their Matunga workshop.

The tracks at Matunga station were submerged following heavy rain on two consecutive days last week. As the water level was lower than the danger mark, trains did not stop, But it slowed down their movement and caused inconvenience to thousands of commuters. The water took more time to recede compared with other flood-prone spots.

“The water wasn’t flowing out into the main drains outside the railway premises, though our drains were clean,” said a senior official, who do not wish to be named. He said even high-capacity water pumps did not do the trick.

Explaining its functioning, another CR official said that the sluice gate will be installed at the discharge point of the culvert on the border of the railway and BMC premises and regulate water flow. The gate, officials say, is likely to be installed within next few days. They will not only help with faster water receding from the tracks but also prevent water from flowing back in.