Mumbai: Lower Parel overbridge closure throws rush-hour movement out of whack

Pedestrians and motorists headed to work battled Tuesday blues last morning after the Delisle bridge popularly known as the Lower Parel ROB was closed off to all traffic It was a preemptive measure taken after an audit deemed the structure unsafeHowever the morning movement of officegoers and others plunged into chaos with the situation limping to a semblance of normalcy only around eveningLeft in the lurchAccording to sources it was the traffic authorities decision to shut the bridge after the railways shot off a letter to them and the civic body However theres no clarity on who is going to reconstructrepair the structureLocals and commuters meanwhile are upset that neither were they given enough advance warning about the closure nor provided an alternative criticising the hasty decision and lack of planning Several said that after the Elphinstone Road stampede they thought authorities would be more responsible and keep alternatives readyHerds of pedestrians were seen jostling for space in a lane less than 50feet wideA local Anand Mohite said This definitely wasnt a smart decision Authorities shouldve given ample warning and explained what the problem is Forget knowing what the issue is we dont have any idea about when the construction will start and finish either If its not completed fast the rushhour situation is going to be a nightmare every dayI started walking from Currey Road towards my office just to reach the Lower Parel ticket counter on the foot overbridge took me 40 minutes said Mulund resident Deepa NairMaking spaceSuch was the crowd that to avoid any untoward situation the Mumbai Police broke open the doors of a private property to give pedestrians more space but without taking any permission They have even asked the guards there to keep it open from 8 am to 9 pm to let pedestrians throughResidents of the 1600sqm property Vani Chawl of course are not amused mdash demolished about 12 years ago for redevelopment the structure is yet to get permissions from railways for construction claimed tenants who fear losing their private land to this problemA G Lad the societys managing committee member said They just came and broke open the doors We want an assurance that they wont encroach on our land and make it a short cut for pedestrians Inspector from Byculla police station Ramesh More however justified It was important to have an alternative way for people as the crowd was immenseWhos incharge anywayLocal Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Shinde said that despite sitting with BMC authorities for five hours there was no consensus on who will repairreconstruct the bridge They have shut the bridge but we have no idea which part is dangerous if it is the portion where the iron is corroded why shut the stonebuilt section I have asked the traffic department and BMC to decide if the stone structure can be opened for pedestrians he addedLater chief PRO of Western Railway Ravindra Bhaker cleared the confusion The entire bridge will have to be reconstructed dismantling of the portion over the railway line will be done by us We believe 70 per cent of it is in BMCs jurisdiction Also about 39 agencies will have to be communicated about the utilities and BMC is in a better position to do that However a formal decision is yet to be taken and it will be done soon We will ensure there is no delay in completing the work irrespective of who does itAs far as the pedestrian movement is concerned we will take all precautions and put up boards to guide them out city authorities will take care of the vehicular traffic We have also deployed GRP and RPF officers around the station and platforms to guide passengers the situation will be better from Wednesday BMC chief Ajoy Mehta said We will start work on approach road to the station soonShared lossBusiness of share taxis was affected with the closure of the bridge with 70odd drivers feeling the pinch Share cabs ply from Lower Parel to Worli Naka and from Currey Road to Worli Naka Kishor Bhandari a taxi union member said Each driver earns at least R1500 every day but today nobody could do business However we have spoken to the traffic authorities and from Wednesday we will ply from Urmila Estate to Worli Naka Those who come from Currey Road will have to use the railway bridge to get to the other sideCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates