Mumbai: Public pressure keeps Sion bridge open, for now

Mumbai South Central MP Rahul Shewale with railway, civic and traffic police officials at his office in Chembur on Saturday

Central Railway (CR) has decided that the Sion bridge, which was to remain closed from Saturday, will be kept open for traffic for a few more days. The move comes after local Member of Parliament Rahul Shewale requested authorities to take residents into confidence about the plan to demolish the 110-year-old structure.

Shewale, who represents the Mumbai South Central seat, said he would request Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to hold a meeting will all the officials concerned regarding the matter.

The Sion rail overbridge is being demolished to create space for the fifth and sixth lines. Pic/Satej Shinde

After getting the requisite permissions, CR decided to close the bridge, which connects Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road from Sion East to Dharavi and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg in Sion West, ahead of its planned demolition.

Shewale held a meeting with railway, civic and traffic police officials on Saturday at his office in Chembur. He asked officials before closing the road to vehicles to talk to residents and asked officials to keep the bridge open until he had a meeting with Shinde.

Not against development

"We are not opposing development, but the authorities should discuss it with locals. This is a very crucial bridge for traffic as well as pedestrians. Now, Central Railway has decided that the bridge will remain open for traffic until a decision is taken," said Shewale.

"I will ask the chief minister to conduct a meeting with all officials before deciding on the closure of the bridge," he added.

CRSpeak

Dr Swapnil Nila, chief spokesperson, CR, said, "Yes, we have decided to keep the bridge open for traffic. Further decisions will be made in the next two to three days."

Railways is planning to pull down the bridge this month. Its reconstruction will be completed 24 months after the demolition work is completed.

A portion of the bridge over railway premises, which is around 40 metres long, will be increased by 11 metres. The existing bridge comprises two spans, and one of its pillars stands on the railway line. The new connector will have a single span and include no pillars. This work is being undertaken to create space for the fifth and sixth lines.

Advocate Zahid Siddiqui, a Dharavi resident, said that after the demolition of the bridge, pedestrians would only be able to use part of the structure and the presence of hawkers would prove a hindrance. "The authorities should think about demolishing the bridge in parts. Light vehicular traffic should be allowed on either side of one section," Siddiqui added.

Subhash Padwal, a Vikhroli resident, who travels to Bandra East via the Sion bridge, said the authorities consider demolishing this bridge in parts. "I travel via a two-wheeler. The Santacruz-Chembur Link Road is always congested while two and three-wheelers are not allowed on the Chunabhatti-BKC connector. If the bridge is razed in parts, it would be helpful for motorists," he said.