14 December,2014 06:48 AM IST | | Chetna Sadadekar
The Western Railways wants a footpath for pedestrians on the upcoming Road Over Bridge near Jogeshwari railway station, while the BMC warns of a bottleneck on the road
The Road Over Bridges (ROBs) near Jogeshwari and the upcoming Oshiwara station, are stuck in limbo because the Western Railways (WR) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) are at loggerheads about the project.
In 2012, the BMC laid a six-lane girder over the railway line. Pic/Shadab Khan
Two years ago, girders over the ROB at Jogeshwari (southern-end) were launched. The BMC laid a six-lane girder over the busy railway lines. Now, the WR feels footpaths are necessary on both sides of the road. A senior WR official, on the condition of anonymity, said, "We will close the level-crossing used by pedestrians and motorists for the ROB."
However, officials from the civic body suggested that if the footpath is constructed on the girder, it would obstruct the movement of vehicles on the bridge. Sources added that the vehicles passing on the ROB will end up in a bottleneck, as the six-lane bridge narrows down on both ends. "Coordinating with the railways is fraught with problems, and projects get delayed," a BMC official complained.
On the other hand, WR officials argued that the BMC delayed the basic drawings and other details of the bridge. "Our portion is complete and we are waiting for the BMC to connect the bridge, so that level crossing can be closed at the earliest," said Sharat Chandrayan, chief PRO, WR. Meanwhile, the ROB near Oshiwara Station, too, is stuck due to the rehabilitation of slum-dwellers.
