‘We maintain our bridges well’

Moolchand Chauhan, divisional manager, Central Railway (CR), said the railways have asked the civic body to remove structures adjoining the retaining walls along the tracks.

Moolchand Chauhan, divisional manager, Central Railway (CR), said the railways have asked the civic body to remove structures adjoining the retaining walls along the tracks.

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Did the pre-monsoon checks fail? Is that why a retaining wall collapsed at Sandhurst Road station?

It was a wall separating the tracks from adjoining structures. It didn’t collapse due to lack of maintenance on our part, but because of construction work nearby. The pressure created by the construction led to cracks in the wall.

What have you done to prevent such incidents from recurring?

We identified a 100-metre stretch at Sandhurst Road that needed repairs. We have also asked the civic body to remove structures along the retaining walls. As per the rules, there can’t be any structure within a 10-metre distance from the tracks. This, however, is not an easy thing to do in a city like Mumbai.

There are several foot over bridges and rail over bridges on CR. What are you doing to ensure they are safe for pedestrians?

We carry out regular maintenance of these structures. Moreover, at stations like Sandhurst Road and Reay Road, we are replacing wooden sleepers with steel ones for better strength. Otherwise, these structures are in good condition.