Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 28: After heavy rainfall led to severe waterlogging and flooding at the under-construction Acharya Atre Chowk underground metro station in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray has launched a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti government, demanding immediate removal of the Turkish firm Dogus Soma involved in tunnelling work on Metro Line 3.

The incident, which unfolded following the city’s first pre-monsoon showers, forced the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) to suspend operations between Acharya Atre Chowk and Worli, raising fresh concerns over construction quality and disaster preparedness of the ambitious Colaba-BKC-SEEPZ underground corridor.

In a fiery press interaction, Thackeray questioned the government’s decision to continue engaging a Turkish firm amid heightened geopolitical sensitivities.

“Why did you not remove Dogus Soma the same way you removed Celebi from ground handling services? Is this not a threat to India’s security? Is this negligence or something more sinister?” he asked.

Thackeray referred to Dogus Soma, the consortium in charge of key tunnelling work, and drew parallels with the recent action taken by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) against Celebi, another Turkish company, whose security clearance was revoked due to national security concerns — particularly after Turkey's support for Pakistan in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor.

In its official statement, the MMRC attributed the flooding to the collapse of a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) wall due to sudden and intense rainfall. Water from an adjacent utility system reportedly overwhelmed the station’s under-construction entry and exit point, leading to the station's inundation. The incident has triggered sharp criticism of the preparedness level, particularly as Mumbai braces for the monsoon.

Thackeray further criticised the functioning of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), pointing out that it has been under bureaucratic control since March 2022, without any elected representatives in place.

“This is a complete failure of urban governance. The BMC is being run from the CM’s Office and the Urban Development Department under Eknath Shinde. They were clearly not prepared for the monsoon,” he said.

The former minister also demanded compensation for residents and business owners in Mumbai and Pune who have suffered damages due to the downpour.

The controversy over Turkish firms operating in sensitive sectors in India has gained traction after recent international developments. The revocation of Celebi’s aviation ground handling licence at key Indian airports was one such move prompted by Turkey's diplomatic posturing. Thackeray is now calling for similar scrutiny and removal of Dogus Soma, particularly in light of their critical involvement in Mumbai’s urban infrastructure.

As Mumbaikars reel from the first signs of a testing monsoon, the political storm over metro construction lapses and foreign contractor involvement is showing no signs of abating.