Many FOBs have been built in locations where they remain underutilised, abandoned, or have become little more than showpieces. mid-day visited several such bridges and found them deserted, even during rush hours
Built post the 2017 stampede, the Army-constructed FOB at Prabhadevi is now underused and partly encroached by vendors. Pic/Rajendra B Aklekar
So here are Mumbai’s most useless railway foot overbridges. Well, rather, the lesser-used ones. Over the past two decades, the railways have constructed multiple foot overbridges (FOBs) across Mumbai. However, many have been built in locations where they remain underutilised, abandoned, or have become little more than showpieces. mid-day visited several such bridges and found them deserted, even during rush hours.
Kurla East-West foot overbridge
The Kurla east-west foot overbridge was abruptly cut short, leaving it stranded mid-way and mostly unused
Located a few metres away from the Kalyan end of Kurla station, this bridge was originally intended to connect the East and West sides for pedestrian use. However, it was abruptly curtailed on the eastern side at the level crossing, after authorities realised it would interfere with the elevated railway project. Foundations and pier cages had already been prepared on the East, but were subsequently dismantled. With the bridge now landing awkwardly between East and West, it remains unused.
Solution: The bridge must be extended to the East or at least linked to the new elevated station coming up at Kurla.
Wadala foot overbridge
FOB near Swadeshi Mill Road lies underused
Despite a Rs 7.5 crore investment, the newly built Wadala FOB is mostly ignored by commuters. Why? The railway authorities failed to barricade the walls and left trackside gates open, encouraging people to continue using dangerous shortcuts across the tracks. Ironically, the bridge has made trespassing easier by leaving wall gaps open. It also hasn’t been cleaned since it was opened.
Solution: The area around the bridge includes many schools. Fixing the wall gaps and maintaining cleanliness could improve safety and usage.
Sion–BKC Connector foot overbridge
This Sion–BKC connector FOB remains largely isolated and underused, with no direct integration into the BKC pedestrian network
This bridge, located between Kurla and Sion stations, connects LBS Road to Chunabhatti. It remains largely unused due to its distance from both stations and its lack of connection to the BKC connector. Owing to its isolated location, very few pedestrians use it. If properly linked, it could significantly improve pedestrian connectivity to the BKC. Solution: Integrate the bridge with the BKC connector by creating a dedicated pedestrian path that offers direct access from Chunabhatti and LBS Road into the BKC area.
Swadeshi Mill foot over bridge
FOB near Swadeshi Mill Road lies underused
The foot overbridge near the Swadeshi Mill Road junction and LBS Road sees minimal usage, as there is little habitation on either side. It is located near the junction of the Harbour and Main lines of the Central Railway, between Kurla, Sion, and Chunabhatti.
Solution: Currently, the bridge lands at LBS Road and Swadeshi Mill Road. To improve usage, it needs to be extended westward across LBS Road and eastward towards Chunabhatti Main Road or closer to the railway station.
Currey Road foot overbridge
The Army-built FOB at the CSMT end of Currey Road
Also built by the Army in 117 days in 2018 for R3 crore, this 30-meter-long bridge remains underused. It’s located at the CSMT-end of the station, whereas most passenger traffic prefers the north-end, which connects to the main Currey Road road bridge. Another bridge is under construction to connect the platforms, the east side, and Godrej Ground, likely rendering this one even more obsolete.
Solution: Link this bridge with the other foot overbridges at the station to increase usability.
Prabhadevi army foot overbridge
Built post the 2017 stampede, the Army-constructed FOB at Prabhadevi is now underused and partly encroached by vendors
Built in a record 117 days by the Indian Army after the 2017 Elphinstone (now Prabhadevi) stampede, this R10.44 crore, 73.1-metre-long bridge is now rarely used. Situated at the Dadar end of the station, it’s been taken over by flower vendor families at the Prabhadevi end. Most commuter traffic at Prabhadevi and Parel prefers the CSMT-Churchgate end, making this bridge largely redundant.
Solution: Link it with the middle foot overbridges at the stations to boost footfall.
Sion station foot overbridge
A new foot overbridge at the Kalyan end of Sion station
A new bridge at the Kalyan end of Sion station has also ended up underused. The platform it connects to is not yet functional, and its remote location further discourages use. Moreover, it’s far from where local trains actually halt, and the uncovered stretch leading to it makes it even less appealing.
Solution: The bridge will become useful once the new Sion station layout is implemented. Until then, it remains irrelevant.
Chunabhatti foot overbridges
One FOB at Chunabhatti stands abandoned, a remnant of a scrapped rail project, while another sees sparse usage
Two bridges at Chunabhatti fall into this category. One, at the Kurla end, was built as part of an abandoned freight rail project and is now completely unused. The other, at the CSMT end, is rarely used. Central Railway had planned a third line for freight traffic beside the Harbour line on the eastern side. Land was acquired and structures demolished to lay this line. As part of the plan, an elevated booking office and foot overbridge were constructed to replace an existing ground-level bridge. But when the project was stalled, these new structures were left unused.
Solution: What’s actually needed is a bridge or skywalk between the Eastern Express Highway and the southern end of Chunabhatti station, where hundreds of people cross the tracks dangerously every day.
Voices
Vedant Mhatre, programme director, Walking Project
‘There’s a major signage problem. At Andheri Metro station, when switching to the railway station, you’re forced to choose between two foot overbridges without knowing which platform each one serves. Signage should clearly indicate: ‘←All Platforms | → PF 4, 5, 7’ But currently, that info is visible only after you’ve already taken a path.’
Jitendra Gupta, Citizen Transport Forum
‘Public inconvenience and waste of taxpayer money often result from poor coordination between government agencies. Railways sometimes build FOBs only within their own land to avoid bureaucratic red tape with BMC or PWD. This leads to bridges that are unusable in practice.
A prime example is the missing bridge connecting Kurla station to the Gol Building junction via Bhabha Hospital and the Police Line. Despite the fact that Bhabha Hospital (BMC) and the police line compound wall (PWD) touch railway land, a lack of coordination and political will has prevented this vital connection, putting lives at risk and hindering access to emergency care.’
A commuter activist
‘Many foot overbridges are simply too high. Authorities should install escalators and lifts to make them accessible. Senior citizens, especially, are unable to use such steep bridges, making them effectively useless.’
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