CR's dilapidated bridge making lives difficult for Byculla residents

Children in Byculla risk their lives on a daily basis for attending school. For, they are forced to use a public bridge that is in dilapidated state for the past one year and still awaiting repair by the Central Railway.

The bridge — which was blocked by the railways for being in bad shape — is still used by many for going from east to west or vice versa. Parents, who accompany their children to school, allege that they have no other option but to use the bridge.

Sabina Sheikh, a resident who uses the bridge every day, said: "My children use the bridge every day. Not just mine but many schoolchildren take the public bridge towards CST near Byculla railway station. The bridge is in bad shape and I just hope no untoward incident takes place when the kids are using it. If we use the bridge at the Byculla station we are caught by the train ticket checker. This forces us to take the public bridge. Authorities put barricades to stop people from taking the bridge, but people removed it."

On being contacted, officials at Byculla railway station agreed that the bridge is in bad shape and dangerous to use because of high tension wires that passed under it. They, however, did not divulge more details whether the bridge will be repaired, claiming that the bridge work does not come under them but under some other department.

Despite repeated attempts, chief Public Relation Officer of Central Railway Narendra Patil remained unavailable for comments.