Nagpur-Mumbai Railway Line at Risk Due to Severe Water Leak

A 500 mm drinking water pipeline running under the Nagpur-Mumbai railway line near Manish Nagar has been leaking between 1.5 and 2 million litres of water daily, potentially causing dangerous soil settlement. This significant leak poses a serious threat to the safety of thousands of train passengers traveling on this busy route. 

The continuous leakage has raised concerns about soil settlement under the railway tracks, with sources indicating that regular maintenance by Central Railway has prevented any incidents so far.

Despite the severity of the problem, authorities have yet to introduce "stop and proceed" instructions or speed restrictions, which would typically require round-the-clock personnel monitoring. Over 100 trains connect through the Nagpur junction, carrying thousands of passengers to destinations such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and South India.

The leak has not only damaged the soil beneath the tracks but has also wasted significant amounts of treated drinking water. The pipeline is part of the 24x7 Chinchbhavan elevated surface reservoir (ESR) plan, with a diameter of nearly 20 inches.

Documents obtained by Lokmat Times show that various authorities, including the Central Railway, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), and Orange City Water Limited (OCWL), are aware of the situation. Despite the ongoing correspondence between these entities, the problem has remained unresolved, leading to a prolonged risk to passenger safety and continued water wastage.

The NMC's Public Health Engineering (PHE) division red-flagged the issue as early as January 2023, initiating regular communication with the Central Railway to address the problem. However, the lack of decisive action has led to increasing concerns over a potential disaster. Authorities are urged to take immediate measures to rectify the leak