MRVC to upgrade Ghatkopar railway station to prevent stampede like situation

: The Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has proposed six foot overbridges (FOBs) and 14 escalators to address overcrowding at Ghatkopar railway station, especially on the existing FOB that connects to Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) metro line 1.

“Of the six new FOBs, three will run parallel to the existing east-west FOB. These three will be 12-metre wide, enough for people to move around and even the CR can commercially exploit the space. We are also constructing 14 escalators and four elevators,” an official from MRVC said.

Drawings have been prepared for the new FOBs. Sources said the upgrade would cost around ₹50-60 crore.

On of the new FOBs will be a 10-meter-wide elevated deck that will run right above platform 1, connecting all FOBs going east-west and even join the existing skywalk leading outside the station.

Central Railway officials said this bridge will provide them with an option to open more ticket-booking counters, set up food stalls and shops for commuters, and remove encroachments from the platforms below.

“This elevated deck will also connect the railway station to the metro line that would help in crowd management. This will ease pressure from the existing FOB,” an official said.

Similarly, on the east side of the railway station, there will be a 15-meter-wide elevated deck with a ticket booking office.

Transport experts said Ghatkopar station is a good example of how two modes of public transit can merge and ease commute. However, over the past few months this station has been seeing a tremendous rush, especially during peak hours. Earlier this month, a video went viral on social media showing passengers headed for the metro station spilling over to the railway FOB.

“It is a stampede like situation during peak hours as people stand in long queues to enter the metro station. On the other hand, those who want to take the local trains have a tough time,” Kailash Verma, president of Mumbai Rail Users Cell, said.

Added Ghatkopar resident Manpreet Singh, “It becomes impossible to enter the metro station without standing in serpentine queues. There is a need for authorities to find alternative entry and exit points.”

Ghatkopar railway station caters to 3-4 lakh passengers daily while 4.80 lakh commuters take the metro line.