Mumbai: Decades-old shops take a hit as CR barricades area around Sion bridge ahead of its demolition

Pic/Sameer Markande

The tin sheets put up by Central Railway around Sion bridge, which is scheduled for demolition, has irked local business owners. Shop owners claim that the visibility of their shops has been compromised, resulting in daily business losses.

Ajay Chhabra, the owner of New Nilam Restaurant and Bar, said, "We have already lost 30 to 50 per cent of our customers as my hotel is not visible from the road due to these tin sheets." He added, "The sheets were erected in the first week of December 2023 and fully cover around eight shops in the Basant Court building. We have all been doing business here since 1967. This is our second generation managing this business".

Ajay Chhabra showing his restaurant and bar at sion where BMC have put barricades. Pic/Sameer Markande

Dilip Jain, the owner of Sakaria Medical Shop, expressed concern, saying, "I run a medical shop, which is an emergency service. If they place sheets opposite my shop, it will be a hurdle for customers. I have already started losing business... around 20 to 25 per cent. Who will compensate this loss in our business?" The Jains family has been running their business for the last five decades.

Raja Dason, who owns a commercial space in the building for the last 50 years said, "I had rented out my gallery. The tenant informed me that these tin sheets are impacting his business. Now, the tenant is not willing to continue renting the place. It will impact my earnings," Dason said. According to Chhabra, no one asked or talked to them before putting up the sheets. "One day, some labourers came and put up these sheets. After that, we came to know that the bridge would be demolished."

He added that the reconstruction of the bridge will take 30 months. "This is a very long period, and we will lose our entire business. The authorities should arrange for tin sheets that will not harm our business." The shopowners plan to submit a letter to railway and BMC authorities to either remove the currently installed tin sheets or compensate for their losses.

Meanwhile, Dr Swapnil Nila, spokesperson for Central Railway (CR), stated that the barricading of the work site is for the protection and safety of people. When asked whether there was any compensation offered to businesses, a CR official denied any such thing. He said, "Construction of the bridge is part of development and local business owners have to put up with the hardship."

Reconstruction work to start soon

There is a possibility that Sion bridge will be pulled down this month. The reconstruction work is expected to take around 30 months to complete. The bridge, which is 110 years old, has a portion of the structure over the railway premises that is around 40 metres long. This will be increased to 51 metres. The existing bridge comprises two spans, and one of its pillars stands on the railway section. The new connector will have a single span and include no pillars. This work has been undertaken in order to create space for the 5th and 6th railway tracks.