Nine months after accident, no sign of RoB at Juinagar railway crossing | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Nine months after accident, no sign of RoB at Juinagar railway crossing

Hindustan Times, Navi Mumbai | By
Aug 29, 2019 06:09 AM IST

On November 24 last year, the empty rake hit the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus, which was packed with passengers. A day after the accident, NMMC officials surveyed the spot and announced they would build a RoB.

Nine months after an empty rake hit a civic bus at Juinagar railway crossing and injured nine people, Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is yet to start work on the proposed 70-crore rail overbridge (RoB) at the spot.

Juinagar railway crossing at Juinagar in Navi Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ Hindustan Times)
Juinagar railway crossing at Juinagar in Navi Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, August 28, 2019. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

On November 24 last year, the empty rake hit the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) bus, which was packed with passengers.

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A day after the accident, NMMC officials surveyed the spot and announced they would build a RoB.

Manoj Patil, executive engineer of NMMC, said, “After conducting a couple of surveys in the area, we prepared a detailed project report (DPR) and it was presented before the general body within a month. The general body approved the project on December 24, 2018.”

“After clearing official formalities, we issued tenders for the project twice this year. However, no bidder has come forward to take up the project. That’s why we have not been able to start work till now,” Patil said.

According to Patil, fresh tenders will be issued within a few days.

“We hope this time around a good contractor will take up the project. As soon as the tendering process is over, work at the site will start. We will give them two years to complete the project,” he said.

Ever since the arterial road was built by City and Industrial Developed Corporation (Cidco) above the railway tracks in the mid-1990s, commuters have been risking their lives while crossing the spot.

Thousands of vehicles and pedestrians from Juinagar use the road every day to reach Juinagar and Sanpada railway stations.

Around two months after the bus accident, Central Railway (CR) installed a level-crossing gate and deployed an official to close the gate whenever a train passes by.

The official, who was on duty, said around 30 trains on the harbour and trans-harbour lines ply on the tracks to go to the Sanpada car shed every day.

“As soon as I receive a signal of an incoming train, I close the gate. However, quite a few people — mostly pedestrians — cross the tracks even after that. Some of them even tend to argue with me, when I ask them to cross the track after I open the gate,” he said.

Bhakti Dave, president of Panvel Pravashi Sangh, said, “The frequency of trains on those railway tracks may not be very high but the population of the city is increasing very fast. In terms of economic development also, the city is bound to see a lot of changes in the next decade. Therefore, an RoB at the junction is required.”

Dave said while railway officials are trying to implement a ‘no-crossing’ policy, NMMC should take all possible steps to complete the project as soon as possible.

Local residents, however, are upset with the delay.

Sunita Kamble, 48, a resident of Juinagar, said, “We have been crossing the tracks at the junction for nearly 25 years, risking our lives. But the authorities pulled up their socks only when a major accident took place last year. It shows that they are not concerned about our safety. Now, they will further delay the opening of the RoB.”

Ramesh Chavan, 52, another resident said, “Neither NMMC nor Cidco was lacking in resources to build such an infrastructure. They should also check if residents of other parts of Navi Mumbai are facing a similar situation and take measures to make travel smoother.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

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