CR may demolish ‘dangerous’ bridge near Mumbai’s Tilak Nagar station

The foot overbridge, located around 100 metres from Tilak Nagar station, is likely to be razed on Sunday.

Following demands from commuters and activists, an abandoned and corroded foot overbridge (FoB) located around 100 metres from Tilak Nagar station is likely to be razed on Sunday, days after a bridge in Andheri collapsed, injuring five.

Railway officers on Thursday inspected the FoB, which provides east-west connectivity between Tilak Nagar and Chembur. (HT Photo)

Railway officers on Thursday inspected the FoB, which provides east-west connectivity between Tilak Nagar and Chembur areas, and decided to demolish the structure. Although commuters called the FoB dangerous, the Railways said it is completely safe to run trains below the bridge.

“We are planning to demolish the Tilak Nagar FoB on Sunday during mega blocks,” said a senior Central Railway (CR) officer, adding that the decision was taken in a joint meeting of the Railways and the civic body.

According to locals, the FoB was built decades ago to cross the tracks and the adjoining nallah when harbour line trains ran only up till Mankhurd and Tilak Nagar station did not exist.

Subhash Gupta, commuter activist said the FoB became redundant after Tilak Nagar station came into existence. Since then, the FoB has remained abandoned, said Gupta. “The FoB was in a very dangerous condition. The structure is completely corroded and concrete slabs are also missing on both ends,” he said.