Mumbai, Sep 12 (PTI) Four pedestrian bridges at Masjid and near Matunga stations in Mumbai will be closed immediately as a safety measure during the upcoming Ganpati festival after structural audits found them unsafe, Central Railway said on Saturday.
Swapnil Nila, CR’s chief public relations officer, told PTI that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has asked the railways to close the overpasses in view of their proposed reconstruction and the expected increase in pedestrian movement during the 11-day festival.
The Central Railway said in a release that BMC and railway officials jointly inspected the bridges on August 27, following which the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay submitted structural inspection reports for all four bridges on August 31.
The bridges identified for immediate closure are the Bhandari pedestrian bridge at Masjid and the Masjid station pedestrian bridge.
The other two bridges are located between Matunga and Sion stations — the one at the “Matunga level crossing” on Bhau Daji Road and the Matunga-Dharavi pedestrian bridge near Guru Nanak High School.
According to the structural audit reports, all four bridges were found structurally unsafe, with deterioration and corrosion affecting key structural components.
The reports recommended that the bridges be immediately closed to pedestrian traffic and considered for dismantling and reconstruction, the railways said.
In view of the structural safety concerns and potential risk to public safety, the BMC has requested the railway administration to immediately stop pedestrian movement on the four bridges until further instructions, said the release.
The closure assumes greater significance during the Ganpati festival, which begins on September 14, as railway stations and surrounding areas are expected to witness a substantial increase in passenger and pedestrian movement.
The Central Railway has appealed to passengers and the public to cooperate with the closure process in the interest of public safety and ensure safe and orderly travel during the festival. PTI KK NR
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