Footbridge ending abruptly used to create chaos for commuters wanting to access the harbour line platforms, they were forced to change bridges
The girders to be used for the extension of the bridge at Kurla station
Six months after mid-day highlighted a partially shut footbridge at Kurla station that affected lakhs of commuters, Central Railway (CR) on Friday said that the bridge girders were ready and would be transported to Kurla station to complete the work.
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The girders, which were being loaded onto trains, will be placed in the next 15 to 20 days, paving the way for the pathway and the roof which should be ready by December 2020.
"Teams had been working throughout the lockdown to prepare the 19-metre-long girders at Wadi bunder that are now ready to be transported to Kurla. Once transported, we will schedule a block," the official said.
CR's chief public relations officer Shivaji Sutar said that the girders for the remaining portion are ready. "Following all norms of COVID-19, we are trying our best to complete pending work on a war footing. The base columns on the platforms were already in place."
During normal times, the harbour line's platforms at Kurla station are extremely crowded and the missing bridge link was creating chaos. In the absence of relevant signage at Kurla station, commuters would realise that the bridge ends abruptly only after having gone up. The old bridge that served as a link was closed on April 2, 2019 due to safety issues. mid-day had highlighted this in a series of stories.
National Railway Users' Consultative Committee member Subhash Gupta, a resident of Kurla, said that it is high time the bridge is extended. "It was just a matter of a few meters. I am happy that this is finally happening. Everyone using Kurla station knows how important this small link is. It will indeed be of immense help to everyone," he said.
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