Mumbai: For the second time in the past two years, tracks between Nalasopara and Virar were waterlogged owing to new construction at Nalasopara east and west. Despite placing 15 water pumps along the Vasai-Virar stretch, the water did not recede. The NDRF and Railway Protection Force (RPF) staff helped ferry 1,000-odd passengers of the 12928 Vadodara Express, stranded between Nalasopara and Virar, to Nalasopara station.

Around 25 buses were arranged to transport the passengers to the nearest station for further commute. A total of 23 express trains were stuck between Nalasopara and Surat. A senior officer of western railway (WR) said, “Various new constructions have come up without making proper arrangements for drainage. In addition to this, the rains were heavy and there was high tide at Nalasopara. Hence, the water wasn’t receding. This is the second time when water-logging has taken place in the past two years.”

WR general manager and senior officials held a meeting with the commissioner of the Virar Municipal Corporation (VMC) regarding waterlogging at Nalasopara on Monday.

The WR also wrote a letter to VMC regarding improvement of drainage systems. “We are working out a way to reduce waterlogging at Nalasopara as the traffic of suburban and express trains was badly affected,” a source said.

When contacted, Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relations officer, WR, said, “We have raised the issue of improvement of drainage systems with the VMC so as to avoid waterlogging of tracks in future.”