The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) had no choice but to suspend services following flooding incidents at the underground Acharya Atre Chowk station.
The waterlogging at the metro station has sparked concerns regarding the quality of construction and the readiness of the underground facility for the monsoon season on the 33-km long Colaba-BKC-Aarey JVLR corridor.
In a statement, the MMRC noted, “Due to the unexpected and heavy rainfall today, water seepage was detected at the under-construction entry/exit structure of the Acharya Atrey Chowk station along Dr. Annie Besant Road. This incident occurred when the RCC water-retaining wall built at the entry/exit collapsed from a sudden influx of water from a nearby utility.” To prioritize passenger safety, train services between Worli and Acharya Atrey Chowk have been temporarily suspended, the agency confirmed.
However, services from Aarey JVLR to Worli remain unaffected and are operating as scheduled, it added.
On May 9, the MMRC had expanded the underground metro services between the Bandra-Kurla Complex and Acharya Atre Chowk stations.
Viral videos revealed significant waterlogging within the station premises, affecting platforms, ticketing areas, and adjacent locations.
One video depicted rainwater cascading down the escalators, with the false ceiling in the station collapsed and various pieces of machinery scattered around.
Metro Line 3 is Mumbai’s inaugural fully underground Metro line and is currently being constructed in phases.
