‘Transfer defunct Mogli Dam to Navi Mumbai amid water shortage’

Thane: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Wednesday pitched for the transfer of the defunct Mogli Dam at Ilthanpada in Digha from the railways to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), claiming the reservoir could help mitigate water shortages in parts of the rapidly expanding satellite city.

The demand was raised during a joint inspection of development works at Thane railway station conducted by Mhaske and Central Railway Mumbai Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) H Meena.

“The dam is currently under the ownership of the railways but remains non-functional. If transferred to the NMMC, it can be revived and utilised to meet local water requirements of nearby Navi Mumbai suburbs,” Mhaske said after the visit.

The inspection was organised to review pending infrastructure works and commuter grievances at Thane station, one of the busiest suburban railway hubs on the Central Railway network.

Mhaske criticised the railways over delays in key passenger amenity projects, including the construction and renovation of public toilets, installation of escalators, and inadequate drinking water and emergency medical facilities at the station.

He said funds for multiple station development projects were already sanctioned and expressed confidence that commuter facilities would improve significantly once the pending works were completed. Work on extending platforms to accommodate 15-coach local trains was also nearing completion, he added.

DRM Meena acknowledged that some major infrastructure projects, particularly the SATIS-2 works, would require additional time for execution but assured that efforts were being made to expedite completion. He added that railway authorities were prioritising pre-monsoon works to ensure uninterrupted suburban rail operations during the rainy season.