‘Jodi’ bridges, single flaw: Mulund station in Mumbai misses FOB link to ticket office

The missing link between Mulund’s new jodi FOBs and the booking office. Pic/Rajendra B Aklekar

At Mulund railway station, the new swanky "jodi" foot overbridges (FOBs) are nearing completion - but a critical link has gone missing. Unlike the earlier bridge, the new structures are not connected to the ticket booking office, raising questions over design and commuter convenience. While railway officials say the issue is being addressed, residents and daily commuters are calling it a planning lapse that defeats the purpose of seamless connectivity.

Key connectivity missed

In all the developmental works and involvement of multiple agencies, a major design flaw has emerged:
>> The new FOBs are about 10 metres away from the elevated booking office, and no direct connection has been built so far
>> Commuters will have to walk extra or take a detour to access tickets
>> Seamless integration existed earlier, where the FOB and ticket house were linked

Wave of development

The redevelopment of Mulund station is part of a larger infrastructure push involving multiple agencies:
Executed by the Prime Minister's Gati Shakti unit (Mumbai division)
Integrated with station redevelopment by Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation

Plan includes:
>> Jodi FOBs (merged bridge structures for better flow)
>> Elevated deck across the station
>> 14 staircases
>> 7 escalators
>> 2 elevators
>> A redesigned entrance plaza
>> Expected completion: April

According to CR officials...

The elevated booking office above platforms 4, 5, and 6 lines was earlier connected to both the Kalyan-end FOB and the CSMT-end public FOB. Initially, the public FOB alignment passed adjacent to the booking office and was directly connected.

After the dismantling of the old FOB by the Gati Shakti unit, the alignment was made straight. This resulted in the new FOB being located approximately 10 metres away from the booking office. The new FOB has not been connected to the overhead booking office. The issue has been taken up with the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation and is under the planning stage.

Old bridge down

The original 50-year-old FOB was flagged as unsafe in March 2023. The bridge was severely corroded by:
Rotting vegetables dumped by illegal hawkers
Structural alterations by a public toilet contractor
The bridge was repaired and reopened briefly for six months. It was finally demolished in 2024 for complete replacement

At a glance

Location: Mulund station
Project: Jodi FOBs and elevated deck
Gap: Approximately 10 metres from the booking office
Deadline: April 2026
Issue: No direct ticket office connectivity

Voices

Gandharva Purohit, Mulund resident, who first raised the issue
‘Mulund gets a new FOB but it's not connected with the booking office. Though it is intended to decongest the coaches at CSMT end, accessibility remains an issue'

Sagar Devre, advocate-activist
‘What's the point of a bridge that doesn't take you where you actually need to go? This is planning without thinking. Earlier, everything was connected and seamless. Now we will be forced to walk extra just to buy a ticket - how is this progress? Looks like decisions are being made on paper, not on the ground. Daily commuters are the ones paying the price'