No FOBs in Cotton Green railway station, passengers risk lives to move from one platform to other

Commuters cross tracks at Cotton Green station
on Tuesday. (Source: Express photo by Prashant Nadkar)

Even as the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation has undertaken extension of platforms on the harbour line to accommodate 12-car rakes, the basic necessity of a Foot Over Bridge (FOB) seems to have been neglected at the Cotton Green railway station. In the absence of an FOB to connect the platforms 1 and 2 at Cotton Green, thousands of commuters have to risk their lives every day by crossing the tracks to move from one platform to another.

“I take home tuitions and I have been travelling by train from my Sandhurst Road residence to Cotton Green, where my students stay, every day for the past 15 years. As there is no FOB at Cotton Green, I have to risk my life on a daily basis. This seems to have been ignored by the authorities and they need to plan something immediately,” said Avinash Singh, a teacher by profession.

“I have seen many women and children commuters also crossing the track as there is no other option,” businessman Pravin Bamras added.

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Recently, a study report by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) revealed that the railways had witnessed 36,125 deaths between 2001 and 2010. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had, in his budget speech, said that necessary action would be taken to prevent accidents, and that emphasis would be given on saving lives of commuters.

When contacted, MRVC spokesperson Prabhat Ranjan said that no FOB was being built at the Cotton Green. “We are at present working on extension of platforms for 12 car trains on the harbour line. However, no FOB is being built,” he said.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com