Mumbai: Railway commuters have BMC to thank for Himalaya Bridge escalator delay

Proposal for Rs 1.25 cr extra cost yet to be approved by civic body

Scores of the railway commuters have been forced to use the staircase of the Himalaya Bridge outside Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) station as the BMC failed to get the pending escalator installed even after seven months of the bridge being opened. If civic officials are to be believed, the escalator is ready but the contractor hasn’t installed it as the increased cost of work has not yet been cleared by the BMC.

The Himalaya foot overbridge (FOB) at CSMT was reconstructed and opened on March 30, 2023, four years after it collapsed. The FOB collapsed on the night of March 14, 2019, claiming seven lives and injuring more than 30. It was used by more than 50,000 railway passengers daily. After the structure collapsed, there was a lot of back and forth over its design, a subway being created and the setting up of escalators. The BMC finally issued a work order without the option of an escalator for Rs 5.75 crore.

“The width of the bridge was increased from 4.5 metres to 6 metres, which is a 40 per cent increase in area. The addition of escalators also raised the cost. Though the additional work was given after an administrative approval, the proposal for the R1.25 crore additional cost, which works out to 20 per cent more, hasn’t been cleared yet,” said a civic official.

The proposal requires the sanction of the chartered accountant, the legal department and the standing committee before the final approval of senior officials. The official added, “Nowadays, BMC officers are not taking any ‘risk’ and wait for the whole procedure to be completed. The escalator is ready. The contractor invested money but as the proposal hasn't been sanctioned yet, so the work of the bridge is incomplete.”

Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) Ulhas Mahale said that the escalator is not readymade. “It is a tailor-made job.” However, he claimed to have no knowledge of the proposal not being cleared by the BMC.

The work order for the bridge was floated in 2021. The BMC earlier decided to put an escalator on the side of the footpath. However, the idea was dropped later and the tender was floated without provision for an escalator. While the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the work, delays also occurred due to matters concerning underground utilities, water lines and BEST and MTNL cables, according to BMC officials.

The bridge has two exits on the opposite side of the railway station. The BMC later decided to put an escalator on the internal road on the opposite side and issued a work order in this regard. As the staircase to access the bridge was ready, it was opened to the public in March without an escalator.

Engineers from the BMC’s bridges department had said that the escalator would be installed after the monsoon. But even a month later, there are no signs of the escalator being installed. The BMC even cut down a tree four months ago as it was coming in the way of the escalator. 

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!