Mulund East-West foot overbridge misses another deadline, commuters frustrated

The incomplete foot overbridge in Mulund. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar

The much-awaited Mulund East-West foot overbridge (FOB), being built by the Prime Minister's Gati Shakti Unit, has missed yet another deadline. The Gati Shakti Unit was launched in 2021 to facilitate multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones.

Officials had promised completion before the monsoon and even installed signage claiming the bridge would be ready by May-end. But as of today, work remains far from complete - with the bridge not even half-done.

The FOB was the only non-ticketed pedestrian route connecting Mulund East and West. It has been shut for over a year now, forcing commuters to either walk long distances to alternative bridges or buy tickets just to cross the railway station.

"It's ironic that such a small bridge is taking such a long time to be completed," said local resident Mansukh Gajjar. "We asked the railways to speed it up before shutting the old bridge, but since then, it's just been one broken promise after another."

"The bridge was demolished in 2024. It's mid-2025 and we're still nowhere," added Gajanan Shenvi, another daily commuter. "This bridge was our lifeline. The road overbridge is too far, and the internal bridges are for ticketed passengers only. How are we supposed to cross?"

An alternative pedestrian bridge exists near Apna Bazar, around 250 metres away. But locals say it's not a practical solution for everyone. "If the railways couldn't build it quickly, they shouldn't have demolished the old one," said another resident.

In March 2023, mid-day had reported how the original 50-year-old bridge was severely corroded due to rotting vegetables left behind by illegal hawkers and structural alterations by a public toilet contractor. The bridge was repaired and reopened briefly for six months before being torn down for replacement.

Advocate and local activist Sagar Devre, who first flagged the delay, warned of protests if work isn't expedited. "This is causing massive inconvenience for residents on both sides of the station." On April 26, mid-day had reported that the bridge would be completed by May 31.

Railway officials now say work is in the final stages, with one span yet to be installed. "Once all spans are in place, we'll begin work on the landings. The project is on track and will be completed in a few months," said an official.

The Gati Shakti Unit is constructing the FOB, but the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has also begun developing Mulund station under MUTP-3A. This includes a new 145-metre-long, 9.25-metre-wide elevated deck and multiple FOBs - changes that have led to change in the original plan.