On September 29, 23 people lost their lives in a stampede at Elphinstone Road. Post outrage, Indian Army was roped in to build the foot overbridges.
Five months after 23 people died in a stampede at suburban Elphinstone Road railway station, a new Foot Over Bridge (FOB) constructed by the Army was thrown open to the public today.
Two FoBs at Currey Road and Ambivli stations on Central Railway were also inaugurated in presence of Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre, and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The FoBs were constructed by the Army Engineers in a record 117 days.
Acknowledging the feat, both Goyal and Fadnavis thanked the Army for its contribution and completion of the FOBs in record time.
The new Elphinstone Road FOB, spanning over the Central and Western Railway tracks, connects Central Railway's Parel station on the east side and Phoolwali lane outside the Elphinstone Road station on the west side.
In an unprecedented move, the construction of the FoBs was handed over to the Army after 23 people died in a stampede on the staircase of a narrow FoB on September 29, 2017, during the morning rush hour.
The bridge at Elphinstone Road station is 70-metre-long. The FOB at Currey Road station is 30 metres in length and the one in Ambivli is 20-metre-long.
As many as 250 personnel of the Bombay Engineering Group and Centre, Pune, also known as Bombay Sappers, were involved in the task that was completed within four months.
"Some Mumbaikars lost life in the tragedy (stampede) last year. To prevent such unfortunate incidents, our city (BJP) chief Ashish Shelar had requested Defence Minister to build the FOBs with the expertise of the Army, which was accepted and today the FOBs have been thrown open," Fadnavis told reporters at the Parel railway station.
On the occasion, he thanked the Centre for allocating Rs 51,000 crore in the Budget 2018-19 towards upgrade of the suburban network in Mumbai and extended suburbs.
With inputs from PTI
1. Devendra Fadnavis, Piyush Goyal and others
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On Tuesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre inaugurated the three FOBs.
2. Civilians thank Army
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Commoners reached out to the Army men and congratulated them on a job well done.
3. Inauguration of FOB
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"For the first time the Indian Army was approached to construct bridges for civilians and they completed it in record time. We intend to ease the difficulties faced by Mumbaikars for whom the suburban system is their lifeline. Its process has begun today,” said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
4. Aerial view of FOB
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The Bombay Engineers Group of Indian Army took 2-hour blocks most of the night during the three months for the work and once each for a 8-hour mega block towards the end.
5. FOB
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CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union Railway and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Defence Dr Subhash Bhamre inaugurated the three FOBs.
