CM Fadnavis, railway minister hop on local train, inaugurate Army-built FOBs in Mumbai

Five months after the Elphinstone Road stampede, three new foot over-bridges ready for city’s train commuters

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal and defence minister of state Dr. Subhash Bhamre travelled in a local train on Tuesday afternoon from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Parel station to inaugurate the new foot over-bridges (FOBs) constructed by the Indian Army.

CM Devendra Fadnavis, railway minister Piyush Goyal and defence minister of state Dr Subhash Bhamre travelled in a local train on Tuesday afternoon from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Parel station. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

They boarded a train after handing over the documents connected to handing over a plot in Bandra-Kurla Complex for the bullet train project.

Fadnavis said he used to travel by locals frequently before he became chief minister.

The newly opened FOB at Elphinstone Road station. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

The Indian Army was brought in by Goyal to construct the three FOBs, following the Elphinstone Road stampede on September 29, 2017, which claimed 23 lives. Work started in the last week of November 2017, and now three months later, the FOBs are ready.

Bombay Sappers, a wing of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers (IACOE), has constructed the three FOBs — at Elphinstone Road, Currey Road and Ambivli railway stations.

Precast bridges, called the Bailey bridge, have been used for the FOBs. These bridges are extensively used near the borders and mountains, and can be put together quickly.

The five stages involved in the construction of the FOBs are: soil testing; design; construction launching of the Bailey bridge; and commissioning.

Watch | Our video on how Mumbai got three new FOBs:

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