Meeting to demolish Sion Railway Overbridge likely next week
Although CR obtained all traffic clearance and permission to conduct the demolition work, it was then halted pending a meeting between the authorities.
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The repair and maintenance efforts of the bridge are regularly undertaken, the red flag raised by IIT B has prompted discussions about the proposed demolition, the CR official said. (File Photo)A MEETING with the Central Railway (CR) and state government on demolishing the British-era built Sion Railway Overbridge (ROB) is likely to be held next week. The demolition was halted after MP Rahul Shewale intervened on behalf of local residents, who raised concerns over traffic.
Shewale, who is a minister with the Shinde Sena, raised the issue last month with CR officials, urging them to prioritise community engagement due to potential traffic disruptions. Although CR obtained all traffic clearance and permission to conduct the demolition work, it was then halted pending a meeting between the authorities.
The meeting was then postponed, partly due to Shewale’s involvement in the parliamentary budget session of 2024. However, a CR official stated that the meeting is expected to occur in the upcoming week, after which a final decision on demolition of this bridge may take place.
Originally slated for closure on January 20, the demolition process was estimated to take six months, followed by an 18-month reconstruction period. The demolition aims to make room so that tracks can be laid for the fifth and sixth lines to improve the movement of mail and suburban train services with dedicated tracks.
Additionally, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT B) had also flagged safety concerns in its April 2020 audit report, declaring the Sion bridge unsafe due to critical structural components deteriorating.”First two I-girders from north side, RCC deck slab and RCC Parapet wall are in dilapidated condition. They are unsafe. It should be repaired/rehabilitated in 3 months. If not repaired/rehabilitated in 3 months, the bridge should be closed,” stated the structural audit report.
While repair and maintenance efforts of the bridge are regularly undertaken, the red flag raised by IIT B has prompted discussions about the proposed demolition, the CR official said. Notably, the Sion bridge, a relic from the British era constructed in 1912, serves as a vital link connecting Dharavi, LBS Road, and the Eastern Express Highway.
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