CR launches first of six girders for Vikhroli ROB for east-west connectivity
The bridge is essential to prevent death on the railway tracks and to ensure smooth movement of traffic from Vikhroli East to West and vice versa
Mumbai: After flouting several deadlines and work being stuck for almost six years, the Central Railway (CR) authorities installed one of six girders for the road over bridge (ROB) in Vikhroli by carrying out a special block till early hours of Sunday. The block was conducted between Ghatkopar and Bhandup stations for the work. In the coming week, CR will install five more girders for the ROB. A girder is a large horizontal beam that supports the bridge, and all other smaller beams connect to it, forming the ROB’s skeleton.
For years, residents of Vikhroli demanded this bridge, which is essential to prevent trespassing and death on the railway tracks and to ensure smooth movement of traffic from Vikhroli East to West and vice versa.
According to CR officials, the first block for this work on the construction of Vikhroli ROB was carried out on Saturday night for 2 hours and 25 minutes. The work began at around 1.30am and during the week, works will continue to begin at around 1.15-1.30am in lieu of the eliminated level crossing gate. “The launching of girders will go on throughout the week. On Saturday night, a team of engineers and 55 labourers deployed an 800-tonne crawler crane, another 250-tonne telescopic crane and around 10 trailers for launching one girder. Other works for strengthening this girder were also undertaken,” said a CR official.
The work of the Vikhroli road overbridge has been stuck for years and its deadline has already been extended five times. “We had been demanding for almost a decade now and it’s been delayed for a long time. In the past few years many people have died while crossing the level crossing at Vikhroli,” said Madhu Kotian, president, Mumbai Rail Pravasi Sangh.
East-west connectivity in Vikhroli has been an issue ever since the level-crossing gate was shut 10 years ago. After consistent efforts of the residents and activists, a work order was issued for the bridge in May 2018. The bridge work was expected to be completed by October 2020.
The proposed bridge would connect the Eastern Express Highway on the east side and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg on the west side. However, due to various difficulties like non-shifting of utilities, encroachment, acquisition of plot, etc., the work was delayed.
Due to the ongoing work between Ghatkopar and Kanjurmarg, the CR are going to cancel, short terminate long-distance and suburban trains. The block is carried out over the Slow, Fast, 5-6 lines on which local and long-distance trains ply.
In mid-2022, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its report pointed out various reasons behind the delay in the work of Vikhroli ROB. They had raised a flak against the BMC and other authorities for the delay in work.
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