18 August,2026 07:35 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Verma-Lavangare inspects Prabhadevi station with railway officials on Tuesday. PIC/BMC
As part of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) âPedestrian First' campaign, work has begun to facilitate the widening of the narrow entry and exit point on the western side of the South Foot Overbridge (FOB) at Prabhadevi railway station to ease passenger congestion and improve pedestrian movement.
The development follows a joint inspection and coordination meeting involving Mumbai Central Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Pankaj Singh, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Verma-Lavangare, and Western Railway officials, along with representatives of the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), local police, and traffic police on Tuesday.
The existing toilet block adjacent to the South FOB entry has been dismantled by Western Railway after obtaining the necessary no-objection certificate (NOC) from the BMC. The dismantled material has also been removed from the site.
The demolition has cleared the space for widening the entry and exit point and providing an additional staircase on the western side of the South FOB.
Trial pits are currently being carried out to check for any infringement of existing utilities and identify existing utility services, including water pipelines, electrical cables, and other utilities.
The foundation layout has been marked and excavation for the proposed footings is in progress. Fabrication of the required steel structural members is also underway at Dadar Workshop.
The work is being undertaken on priority to facilitate the additional staircase and widening of the entry and exit point, with the aim of improving the safe and smooth movement of passengers at Prabhadevi station.
Western Railway has agreed to provide two toilets from the existing railway colony toilet block for use by nearby residents. The BMC has also been requested to make arrangements for additional toilet facilities, while Western Railway is exploring the possibility of providing four toilet facilities through existing arrangements.
The provision of an additional 12-metre-wide FOB at Prabhadevi station was also discussed with the AMC.
An earlier proposal had been submitted to the BMC for an additional FOB, including a staircase and lift on the western side, using available BMC land. The civic body had not agreed to the proposal at that time.
However, following the dismantling of the Carol ROB, officials have observed increased pedestrian movement and congestion on the existing FOB. In view of the increased passenger movement and the need for safe and smooth circulation, an additional 12-metre-wide FOB is now being considered.
The AMC has agreed in principle to examine the proposal. Western Railway and BMC will jointly identify and finalise a suitable location, taking into account passenger convenience, pedestrian circulation, land availability, and other site constraints.
The proposed additional FOB, along with suitable staircase and lift arrangements, is expected to ease congestion on the existing FOB and provide safer and more convenient movement for commuters.
A joint coordination meeting was held on Tuesday under the guidance of Singh with Verma-Lavangare and senior officials of MRIDC, local police and traffic police to chalk out a phased action plan for improving passenger circulation and access at Prabhadevi West.
The meeting also discussed obtaining the necessary land permission for the landing of the proposed 12-metre-wide FOB, strict action by the police and traffic police against errant two-wheeler parking and spur widening at the North/West entry-gate FOB landing.
The coordinated measures are aimed at easing passenger congestion and ensuring safer, smoother, and more convenient movement for commuters at Prabhadevi station.
