With Mumbai’s suburban railway system growing increasingly vulnerable to annual monsoon flooding, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation Ltd (MRVC) has taken a critical step by initiating the development of a comprehensive flood control master plan for both the Western and Central Railway corridors.
This decision follows years of service disruptions caused by torrential rain, affecting lakhs of daily commuters. MRVC has now issued an Expression of Interest (EOI), inviting qualified consultancy firms to undertake a year-long study titled “Preparation of Comprehensive Flood Control Master Plan for Mumbai Suburban System of Western and Central Railway.”
The project falls under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)–III-A and is backed by funding from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). A budget allocation of ₹877 crore has been set for the financial year 2025–26.
Mumbai’s geographical challenges—flanked by the Arabian Sea and multiple creeks—mean that rainwater must pass beneath railway lines before draining into natural outfalls. However, due to poor drainage infrastructure, silt accumulation, and unregulated urban growth, several rail stretches have become waterlogging hotspots. This results in operational delays and major inconvenience during monsoons.
As the nodal agency overseeing suburban rail upgrades, MRVC plans to conduct a vulnerability and mitigation assessment across the entire rail network. The consultancy work will involve topographical surveys, mapping of existing drainage systems, use of high-resolution aerial imagery, identification of flood-prone zones, and the design of enhanced culverts and drainage channels. It will also evaluate the feasibility of raising track levels where necessary.
Consultants must have prior experience in urban flood mitigation, strong financial credentials, and a qualified technical team. Expressions of interest must be submitted via the government’s e-procurement portal by 3 PM on July 1 2025.
Source: The Free Press Journal
