Mumbai: Central Railway installs first readymade bridge in one go

Central Railway's first readymade foot overbridge (FOB) installed

The Central Railway's (CR) first readymade foot overbridge (FOB) was installed on Thursday night between Sion and Kurla stations. Generally, the FOBs are constructed by fitting multiple blocks on the site. Mid-Day was the first to report that the railways and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) were carrying out this rare project.

Watch the video of Central Railway's first readymade bridge:

"The FOB was built meticulously to the exact measure of the lines and placed with the help of heavy road cranes," a senior railway official, who did not wish to be named, said.

The foundation support structures will be separately erected and the ready bridge will be placed on it. The usual practice is to put up the girders after taking several blocks and then erecting the bridge structure later above the tracks.

The railways and MMRDA have been building a road overbridge (ROB) over railway lines as a part of the BKC Connector, which starts from G-Block of Bandra Kurla Complex and after crossing Mithi River, LBS Marg, Central Railway tracks and VN Mankikar Road leading to Chunabhatti railway station. Then further extends and crosses the Harbour railway tracks, passing through Somaiya Trust Ground to join the Eastern Express Highway. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 156 crore and later escalated to over Rs 200 crore. The foot over bridge installed is next to this ROB, and the railways also plans to build a footbridge for pedestrians.

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