Closed for 4 mths, Charni Rd FOB leads to traffic snarls

The Maharshi Karve Road along Charni Road railway station, where Saifee Hospital is located sees long traffic snarls during peak hours as commuters are forced to cross the one-lane road since the entrances of the foot-overbridge (FOB) have been shut for the last four months.

The civic body says it will take at least two years for the new FOB to come up and till then the traffic issue in front of the hospital is difficult to prevent. The Charni Road railway station sees a majority of people residing in areas like Girgaum, Kelwadi, Gol Deul among others. With the foot-overbridge (FOB) being non-operational, commuters cross the road below the which creates long traffic snarls and obstruction for vehicular traffic.

“Work on the Charni Road FOB is carried by the bridges department which recently faced obstruction due to railway cables because of which the work is delayed. However, we will ensure the old FOB is demolished and it will take two years for the new one to come up,” said an officer from D ward of the BMC.

Balu Kaware, a postman, said, “Everyday I come to Girgaum to handover parcels. Earlier, because of the FOB, it was easy to cross the road. Since it is shut, all commuters are forced to cross the road. There is another one, but that is far for people going towards Girgaum.”

IN BAD CONDITION

• A portion of a staircase of an FOB collapsed at Charni Road station on October 14 when portion of a staircase, having its landing on the footpath, collapsed. One person received minor injuries.