MP Arvind Sawant ditches unveiling of lift at Elphinstone foot bridge

It has been 15 months since the horrifying stampede at a foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road (now Prabhadevi) railway station claimed lives. But instead of opening the escalator and elevator constructed to further ease crowding on the stairs to the bridge, the railways waited on a politician. And the politician decided not to show up as he apparently believed the format of the invitation he got to cut the ribbon was too informal for him to actually show up — he was invited by phone.

On Wednesday, the escalator and elevator, which take people from the platform up on to the new foot overbridge built by the Army, were opened for public use but were shut down in a matter of hours. All thanks to the parliamentarian, Arvind Sawant, who ditched the railways, quite literally at the eleventh hour, two days after receiving the invitation.

Around 11 am, Member of Parliament Arvind Sawant from South Mumbai constituency was supposed to cut the ribbon on the elevator and escalator, which the Central Railway (CR) authorities had decked up florally.

People waiting for MP Sawant to turn up, but he did not show up until noon.

Sources said that Sawant was unhappy that he was informed over phone about the inauguration, so he did not even turn up at the ceremony.

During this time many commuters who alighted from local trains wanted to use it, but it was not made operational.

Across Mumbai, escalators have become popular at railway stations.

When DNA asked the parliamentarian about what went wrong at the event, Arvind Sawant said: "The inauguration has been postponed as I had an urgent function to attend. I was informed about it over phone. I am not obstructing opening of this. I have informed the Central Railway that they are free to open it for public and I have no objection to it."

The Central Railway officials said that they had started the escalator as well as the lift briefly. People were using it but soon, apparently due to a technical glitch, it was shut down they said.

By evening, a sheet was used to block the stairs of this escalator which itself was covered in black cover. The red inaugural ribbon stayed uncut.

"The escalator at Parel will be opened shortly. The date of commissioning will be notified in due course," said Sunil Udasi, chief public relations officer, CR.

Key Bridge 

• The railways had sought the Army’s help to build the Elphinstone stn foot overbridge after a stampede on September 29 last year killed 23 morning commuters.
• The bridge was completed in record time and opened in February earlier this year. 
• The railways then built an elevator and escalator to transport people up to the new bridge. They were to be unveiled on Wednesday