Railways must give Andheri residents respite

The BMC had promised that the bridge would be partially opened by May

Andheri residents have raised concerns about noise and air pollution caused by the breaking of slabs of the Gokhale bridge. The locals have requested that the slabs be transported to isolated spots and not be smashed near their homes as senior citizens and children are being disturbed.

The demolition of the crucial east-west connector in Andheri has been going on since the structure was closed to traffic in the first week of November, in the wake of a structural audit report that termed it dangerous. The Western Railway (WR) has been doing the dismantling with a deadline of February-end.

Residents of Vijay Nagar, Andheri East have stated that the noise is not only disturbing senior citizens but also students who are preparing for the SSC and HSC exams.

Also Read: Mumbai: Don't break Gokhale bridge slabs here, say Andheri locals

Some locals have asked if the slabs are in a good condition, is there a need to break them at all? WR, though, stated that it does not have any alternative site and the residents will have to bear with the slab-breaking work.

This is an unfortunate situation as the breaking work is creating a disturbance but there are constraints and limitations, according to railway officials. Besides the noise, air pollution is also a worry. Residents need to keep their windows shut and wear masks while stepping outdoors as some anti-pollution measures.

The Railways needs to expedite this work, and at the same time, have some ‘silent' or ‘no-work' hours in the afternoon, so that the locals get some respite. Both sides will have to arrive at a happy medium with authorities understanding that in a city of incessant noise and high pollution levels, they must do all they can not to exacerbate difficult conditions.