150,000 man-hours spent to ensure all bridges over WR tracks are safe
A comprehensive inspection of all ROBs and FOBs on the Churchgate to Dahanu stretch was initiated after the September 2017 stampede on the Elphinstone Road FOB
Mumbai: The Western Railway (WR) has spent more than 150,000 man-hours over the past six years to ensure 144 road over bridges (ROBs) and foot over bridges (FOBs) on the Churchgate to Dahanu stretch are safe, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.
A comprehensive inspection of all ROBs and FOBs on the Churchgate to Dahanu stretch was initiated after the September 2017 stampede on the Elphinstone Road FOB and the collapse of a part of the Gokhale ROB in July 2018. In 2019-20, the IIT Bombay conducted an audit of all the bridges jointly with WR and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Following submission of the audit report, the BMC appointed agencies to inspect all bridges in the city every six months, barring bridges passing over the railway tracks. The Western Railway, on the other hand, spent at least 150,000 man-hours to rebuild ROBs, FOBs and overhead pipelines passing over railway tracks, said officials.
“Over the last few years, we have dismantled and rebuilt 29 ROBs, 111 FOBs and four pipeline bridges. Some of the bridges are still being rebuilt,” a senior WR official told HT on condition of anonymity.
Work on assessing the health of various bridges and initiating remedial measures started in the earnest during the Covid-19 pandemic, the official said.
{{/usCountry}}Work on assessing the health of various bridges and initiating remedial measures started in the earnest during the Covid-19 pandemic, the official said.
{{/usCountry}}“During the pandemic, we delaunched girders of old FOBs at Marine Lines, Malad, Naigaon and other places,” the official quoted earlier said.
In the audit conducted by IIT Bombay in 2019-20, 16 FOBs and 1 ROB were identified for immediate closure. All the 16 FOBs had been replaced since, said officials. Additionally, at least six new FOBs have been constructed in locations between two railway stations at a cost of around ₹280 crore, the officials added.
As regards ROBs, the railways and BMC have been working jointly to refurbish or rebuild them, the officials mentioned. The Delisle Road ROB in Lower Parel was the first to be rebuilt and opened to the public in 2023, followed by the Gokhale bridge, which was thrown open in May 2025 after a few missteps. The Carnac bridge, dismantled in 2022, was rebuilt and opened to the public in July 2025, whereas the Hancock bridge, whose demolition began in 2016, was thrown open partially in 2022, with work on two lanes yet to be completed. In May this year, the Reay Road ROB was thrown open after reconstruction.
The Bellasis bridge, Sion ROB, Tilak bridge and Byculla ROB are still under construction, said officials. The Elphinstone Road ROB will now join the list, as it will be demolished and rebuilt as a double-decker structure by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation.
The ROB, spanning 132 metres, will be rebuilt with 2+2 lanes and a footpath at a cost of ₹167 crore. Work on the bridge will be completed in a year’s time after all necessary approvals are in place, said officials.
