Authorities clear Parel station of stalls, booths before Piyush Goyal's visit

A railway official said space where the canteen stood would probably be used for the staircase landing of the new 12-metre wide bridge

A day before Railway Minister Piyush Goyal's arrival in Mumbai to inaugurate the three foot overbridges (FOBs) made by the army, the railways swiftly cleared Parel station of all stalls and booths.

During his visit on February 1, Goyal had asked the officials to de-clutter the platforms. On Monday afternoon, the station was full of hectic activity, with the large canteen being dismantled and its parts ferried away. The food stall and the bookstall that occupied a strategic place at the southern end of the station were also removed and taken away, making space for commuters to walk and stand. The three utilities occupied large space on the narrow Parel platform.

On Monday afternoon, the station was full of hectic activity, with the large canteen being dismantled and its parts ferried away

An old cement water hut, a water vending machine and an old red filter were the only utilities that remained by evening. An official said that space where the canteen stood would probably be used for the staircase landing of the new 12-metre wide bridge. In a surprise visit to Parel station, Goyal had echoed the sentiments of commuters, and directed railway officials to remove stalls, water-vending machines and other unnecessary objects that have cluttered the CSMT-end of the station, narrowing the platform.

3 No. of army-made FOBs Goyal would be inaugurating

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