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After Andheri ROB collapse, audit reports of overbridges come into limelight

The Bombay High Court in March, had directed the Railways and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to submit structural audit reports of bridges that need to be demolished.

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At least five people were injured on Tuesday morning after a part of the Gokhale FOB collapsed in Andheri, bringing train services of the Western Railway to a halt
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Audit of railover and footover bridges has come to limelight again after collapse of the Andheri bridge. Instead of a joint action, both the agencies on Tuesday, engaged in blame game.

The Bombay High Court in March, had directed the Railways and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to submit structural audit reports of bridges that need to be demolished. The high court had ruled that the Railways should meet the concerned departments and clear all obstructions.

There are 274 bridges in the city that include flyovers, subways, road overbridges, foot overbridges, and railway foot overbridges. Out of the total, island city has 77 bridges, western suburbs 137 and eastern suburbs have 60 bridges. Of the total, 77 fall on railway land.

This apart, Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) in its recent reports had warned the ministry of railways over weak foot overbridges (FOBs) and pointed out that 6,000 deaths occur annually due to trespassing in Mumbai alone. In its scathing remarks, CAG said the size of FOBs on Mumbai's suburban railway network were also not in line with prevalent global standards.

BJP MP Kirit Somaiya has called upon Railways and BMC to undertake structural audit of all road overbridges and foot overbridges which are more than 20 years old or found weak or over-utilised. ''I have discussed the issue with the Railway Minister Piyush Goyal who has assured to consider structural audit and monitoring system of all bridges crossing railway lines including those belonging to BMC, local authorities and state government,'' he said.

WARNING BELLS

  • Bombay HC in March, had directed Railways and BMC to submit structural audit reports of bridges that need to be demolished
     
  • CAG in its recent reports, had warned Railways over weak FOBs and had pointed out that 6,000 annual deaths in city occur  due to  trespassing
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