Aqua Line Flooding: RTI Activist Demands Accountability of Officials and Contractors

Mumbai, May 27:Just days after its inauguration, the newly launched Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) faced a major setback as heavy rainfall caused waterlogging at Acharya and Worli stations, leading to a temporary suspension of services and triggering serious safety and planning concerns.

The incident, which caused significant inconvenience to commuters, has drawn sharp criticism from RTI activist Anil Galgali, who has demanded immediate accountability from the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRC).“The planning of the Aqua Line completely failed to account for Mumbai’s heavy monsoon. The drainage system was clearly inadequate, and the waterproofing measures appear to have been ineffective,” said Galgali.

He stated that the fact that rainwater entered metro station premises is a glaring sign of poor construction planning and lack of monsoon preparedness. “Such lapses within days of the metro line’s launch raise serious questions about construction quality, oversight, and how public funds have been utilized,” he added.

Galgali has urged MMRC to identify and fix accountability on both the officials and the contractors involved in the construction and planning of the Aqua Line. He further demanded that disciplinary action be taken against responsible personnel and recovery of damages from the contractors for their failure to deliver on safety and quality standards.

Citizens and commuters alike expressed frustration over the disruption, pointing to the irony that Mumbai’s much-anticipated underground metro line was stalled not by technical glitches but by monsoon rains — a predictable seasonal phenomenon in the city.

This incident has reignited the conversation around urban infrastructure planning, especially the need for climate-resilient design in a city that faces regular bouts of intense rainfall.