CSMT water shortage; CR depends on tankers as BMC imposes 10% cut from May 15

BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide stated that teams have been directed to coordinate with the railways and address requirements on priority.

City lakes hold 28.35% of usable drinking water, with officials expecting supplies to last until the monsoon. Disrupted rainfall patterns linked to El Niño are cited as a partial cause.

Railway officials said track elevation, tree trimming and micro-tunnelling works will be completed before May 15 to minimise disruption during the monsoon.

Pre-monsoon works were reviewed, including desilting of drains and culverts connected to the Mithi River, and measures to tackle waterlogging in vulnerable stretches such as Matunga–Dadar, Sion–Matunga, Kurla–Sion, Chunabhatti and Masjid–CSMT.

Officials said non-functional water units will be inspected and repaired, with efforts underway to improve water supply at affected stations.

Water taps exist across Harbour line platforms and near platforms 10–14 for long-distance passengers, but commuters report inadequate facilities, room-temperature water from some coolers, and hygiene issues such as littering and spitting. Some fountains are shut due to spillage, and Currey Road coolers are non-functional or lose cooling capacity during peak hours.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced a 10% water cut across the city starting May 15 due to falling reservoir levels and stretched supplies.

Central Railway officials say CSMT is receiving only about 30-40% of the required water. The station needs around 26 lakh litres daily, and CSMT handles about 6–7 lakh passengers daily and nearly 1,200 suburban and long-distance train services. The shortfall is being managed through tankers.

A joint meeting between Central Railway officials and BMC officials flagged the acute water shortage at CSMT and reviewed pre-monsoon preparedness.