Bombay High Court tells government and CR to provide funds to resolve flooding problem near Vasind railway station

Mumbai: Taking cognizance of the likelihood of flodding of the railway waterway in the neighbouring Vasind town, the Bombay High Court recently pulled up the Maharashtra government and the Central Railways. The HC accordingly directed the government and the railways to together make payments of the study, which is to be conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay (IIT-B).

The IIT-B will be conducting an inspection of the site which faces the risk of getting flooded during the forthcoming monsoon. A vacation bench of Justice Anil Menon and Justice Bharati Dangre was irked over the dispute between the Railways and the government over providing funds for this study.

The study is necessary since it will ascertain the cause of flooding near the railway bridge which severely inconveniences several residents of the villages surrounding Vasind East and West. The Railways argued that the water-logging was caused due to collection of water from surrounding areas and it is not the problem of the Railways alone and that the State had equal responsibility in ensuring that there is no water-logging and thereby alleviate the public’s inconvenience.

Earlier, the government had sought adjournment for getting instructions as it would be providing funds for the study. Accordingly, the government pursuant to the previous hearing’s orders, informed the vacation bench that it was ready to bear half the cost of the study. Having heard the submissions and, especially, the stand of the government, the judges, in their order, said, “In our view, the approach of the government is fair and it is only appropriate that the railways bear the remaining 50 per cent of these costs so as to enable IIT to undertake its study and make its recommendations.”

Accordingly, the judges appointed IIT – Bombay to inspect the location identified at in and around the railway gate on Wada-Murbad Road, in order to ascertain the cause of water -logging at the said location and also to ascertain a method which can be adopted to prevent water collection.

The judges further directed IIT-B to convene a joint meeting with the officials of the Central Railways and also of the Irrigation Department and the Public Works Department before May 28 and decide on how to go ahead with the study.  The matter is likely to be taken up by the regular court on June 5.