Court to hear PIL on flooding in Vasind due to railway line

Mumbai: The Bombay high court will be hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the railways and the state government to initiate measures to curb flooding of Vasind and its surrounding villages due to the railway line. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-B) will be submitting its survey report that was directed by the vacation bench of the HC along with suggestions and recommendations to address the flooding issue.

During the vacations an activist and resident of Vasind, Sanjay Suralake, had filed the PIL complaining of the flooding problem as a result of which thousands of villagers living along the Wada-Murbad route were getting affected during the monsoons. Mr Suralake had alleged that the flooding had started due to the railway line and hence both the state and railways should ensure that the problem is taken care of before the monsoon season commences.

After hearing the petition, the vacation bench of justices A.K. Menon and Bharati Dangre had appointed the IIT-B to inspect the site and submit its report and also asked the state and railways to bear the cost of the inspection and survey report that the team from IIT-B would submit. The recommendations and suggestions of the IIT-B will be mandatory for the respondent parties to comply with.  

The PIL will be coming up for hearing in front of the division bench headed by justice Naresh Patil. The issue has to be taken up on an urgent basis due to the onset of the rains being predicted for June 4.