To ease crush hour, Ghatkopar to get elevated deck, two FOBs

The Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has proposed an elevated deck and two new foot overbridges (FOB) to decongest the Central Railway’s Ghatkopar station, which witnesses stampede-like situation during peak hours.

Ghatkopar is one of the most crowded stations on the city’s suburban network, especially since Metro-1 was commissioned in August 2014. Recently, the authorities took some short-term measures to give passengers easy access to the station.

MRVC, the planning and executing body for railway projects in Mumbai suburban area, has prepared a plan which has been sent to the CR for approval. Once approved, the MRVC will start its implementation under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-3A (MUTP-3A).

The elevated deck – 8.5-m wide and around 270m long – has been proposed over platform number one. Of the two FOBs that will come up on the north side, one will be 12-m wide and another 6-m wide. According to MRVC officials, all FOBs will be interconnected either with the connectors or deck. The new 6-m-wide FOB will be connected to the civic body’s FOB that connects the east to the west towards the Vikhroli-end. “The existing FOB will be demolished and this structure will be built,” said an MRVC official.

The work will be executed under the ₹900-crore station improvement plan, which is part of the ₹33,500-crore Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-3A).

The official added that they have also proposed a skywalk to the north of the deck. It will give a direct link to the west-end of the Metro station.

“The skywalk will be built by the BMC,” said another officer, adding it will take another one year for completion, if everything goes as per plan.

Under the MUTP-3A, the MRVC has proposed a station improvement plan worth ₹900 crore for the Mumbai suburban network. A total of 19 stations, including Ghatkopar, will be improved under the plan by providing planned infrastructure such as decks for smooth passenger movement, decongested entry and exit points, FOBs and connectors.

According to MRVC officials they have submitted concept plans of Govandi, Mankhurd and GTB Nagar stations, apart from Ghatkopar, to the CR authorities.

They have also submitted concept plans for Mumbai Central, Kandivali, Mira-Road and Khar stations to the Western Railway for approval.