22 October,2016 02:00 PM IST | | Shashank Rao
Posing a serious threat to the movement of trains, illegal sand miners are now targeting the rail-bridge over Bhayandar creek
Sources said that the sand mining happens late in the night when trains stop operating and most of the dredging takes place along the banks of the creek close to the pillars of the rail bridge. File pic
Posing a serious threat to the movement of trains, illegal sand miners are now targeting the rail-bridge over Bhayandar creek. They dredge the soil on the banks of the creek and then load it in trawlers with the help of JCB machines to be carried away. The only reason behind it is an increase in demand for sand due to a surge in construction of buildings in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The western railway (WR) authorities are extremely worried as the problem, which started from the Vaitarna rail bridge, is slowly spreading in the city.
Trains slow down
The rail bridge is used by thousands of people travelling in local trains run by the WR daily. Sources said that the sand mining happens late in the night when trains stop operating and most of the dredging takes place along the banks of the creek close to the pillars of the rail bridge. Hence, what worries them is the fact that it may affect the strength of the bridge as the sand protects it from the constant impact of the flowing water. These activities have forced the railway authorities to reduce the speed of trains plying on the Virar-Borivali route. As a preventive measure, the trains run at a speed of 20kmph on the bridge, which affects their schedule as well.
"Over the past couple of days illegal sand miners have started dredging soil near the Bhayandar rail bridge. This began after the railway police staff started taking regular rounds of the Vaitarna rail bridge where illegal mining had become a serious problem. This is a major issue that needs to be addressed," said a senior WR official on condition of anonymity.
Mid-day had first reported about sand mining along the railway bridge in Vaitarna on August 28, 2013. The WR officials said they have already taken up the issue with the chief secretary of Maharashtra and other state government officials.
WR gets cracking
The WR authorities are posting their RPF men near both the Bhayandar and Vaitarna bridges to monitor the situation. Apart from this, sources said, they will also be placing CCTVs in the area.
"We informed the state government about the problem at a recent joint meeting," said Mukul Jain, divisional railway manager (Mumbai), Western Railway.
Sources said that the CCTVs would have the infrared facility so that it can capture happenings in dim light as well. The railway authorities would also examine whether the sand mining has impacted the structural integrity of the bridges.
