Central Railway says, Will rebuild Sion bridge in 24 months

The portion of the existing Sion ROB which lies in the way of the new rail lines

The Central Railway (CR) said on Thursday that it aims to complete the reconstruction of the road over bridge at Sion station in 24 months from the time of demolition. It has been decided to close the bridge and begin the demolition on January 20.

"CR plans to construct a new road overbridge (ROB) in place of the existing one near Sion railway station in coordination with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The CR will bear an amount of Rs 23 crore towards the project's cost, while the BMC will bear Rs 26 crore. The bridge will be dismantled and reconstructed within 24 months of its closure. The new bridge will be a single-span structure with two semi-through girders and it will comprise an RCC slab. The bridge will be 49 metres in length and 29 metres in breadth," a CR spokesperson said.

Need space for new rail lines

"Presently, the old bridge needs to be finally closed for traffic with the help of traffic police and the BMC from January 20. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, in their structural audit report, had recommended the dismantling of the existing bridge and construction of a new one with steel girders and RCC slabs. Besides, the existing Sion ROB is also infringing on the proposed fifth and sixth lines between CSMT and Kurla. Hence, it needs to be dismantled and reconstructed," the spokesperson added.

Railway enthusiasts have demanded that the heritage components of Sion station, such as these cast iron brackets, be preserved

"The demolition of the existing ROB will begin on January 20 with assistance from the traffic police and BMC. Rail blocks will be implemented on the section during the demolition. The details will be communicated to the public soon," the spokesperson added.

Heritage at old station

Sion station is one of the key old stations on the country's oldest and original rail line, which was earlier called the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) before being rechristened as the Central Railway. The present station is being shifted a little to the west to accommodate additional tracks and new platforms.

"The original station building is in good shape and has been maintained very well. It is one of the last few remaining structures with the logos/emblems of the original GIP Railway and should not be dismantled. If possible, officials should find a way to shift it entirely," a rail heritage enthusiast said.