Officials approve Rs 9.14 crore plan for elevated deck to tackle rush, cover roofless platforms; as per the latest budget document released this week, Rs 9.14 crore has been sanctioned for constructing the deck, complete with escalators and lifts
The Masjid Bunder station on Central Railway’s Mumbai network will finally get an upper floor. Pic/Rajendra B. Aklekar
High-footfall Masjid Bunder station on Central Railway’s Mumbai network is finally set to go one floor up. The Railways have drawn up a plan to build an elevated deck covering all platforms at the station, which sees massive crowds during workdays due to its proximity to a major business district.
As per the latest budget document released this week, Rs 9.14 crore has been sanctioned for constructing the deck, complete with escalators and lifts. Located in the heart of a busy commercial area, Masjid Bunder station has long struggled with narrow platforms that get severely crowded during morning and evening rush hours. While multiple bridges have been added over the years, the main concern, the tapering, roofless north-end platforms, has remained unresolved.
Masjid Bunder is one of the oldest stations on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, having opened on September 20, 1875.
According to railway officials, adding a roof at the north end is nearly impossible due to platform constraints and safety standards defined under the Schedule of Dimensions (SOD), regulations that govern minimum safety clearances for railway operations. Installing a roof there would encroach on the space required for running trains, creating serious safety risks.
The proposed elevated deck will span across all platforms, not only solving the roof issue but also creating an additional floor to ease passenger movement and
reduce crowding.
“The problem at Masjid Bunder has existed for years, and we welcome the move to build a deck. It will solve the roof issue and provide more circulating space for passengers,” said Subhash Gupta of Yatri Sangh Mumbai.
Another commuter, JR Gupta, said the trouble began when the platforms were extended from nine-car to 12-car lengths over a decade ago. “The extended platforms never got a roof, and the issue persisted despite repeated complaints. Hopefully, this plan finally brings a solution and makes commuting smoother,” he added.
1875
Year Masjid Bunder railway station opened
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