Girgaum residents’ fight for FOB repair

While the newly constructed Elphinstone Road-Parel foot overbridge (FOB) will now let a large numbers of commuters pass through comfortably, residents of Girgaum are engaged in a fight to get the Charni Road FOB repaired.

They are compelled to complaining both online and offline against the dilapidatedfoot overbridge.

It took the death of more than 20 commuters in a stampede at the Elphinstone Road FOB for the government to wake up and construct a new bridge for smooth passage of commuters. However, it had only been a month to this incident when a part of the Charni Road bridge collapsed, leading to an injury. The residents of Girgaum had been continuously complaining about the dilapidated bridge before the incident, but their words fell on deaf ears. Only after the collapse did the BMC shut down the bridge. Now, inauguration of the new Parel bridge has only made the Girgaum residents’ voice stronger.

Amit Bhadricha, a resident of Girgaum, tweeted on Thursday saying, “After Elphinstone bridge stampede the bridge on Parel is made, but it has been 4 months after #CharniRoad bridge collaspe #Girgaon residents still awaiting for even work to start on bridge (sic).” A local group of Girgaum residents, ‘Aamhi Girgaumkar’, began a campaign asking for urgent repair and maintenance of the bridge immediately after the Parel FOB incident. They held a protest too. 

However, no action was taken. “Does it require death and that too in big numbers for the government to work for us? Students are crossing roads every day risking their lives, but no one seems to be bothered,” said Gaurav Sagwekar, head of the group. 

SO Kori, chief of bridges department, BMC, said, “Demolition work for the bridge have begun. Cables on both sides have caused some delay but work is in progress.”