Mumbai's dabbawalas urge BMC to construct stairs, wide footpaths on new bridge outside Lower Parel station

Pic/Mumbai Dabbawala Association

Mumbai's famous dabbawalas have raised questions about not constructing wide footpaths or staircase on the new bridge outside Lower Parel station.

Subhash Talekar, President of the Mumbai Dabbawala Association, said: "The old bridge outside Lower Parel station has been demolished by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and a new bridge has been constructed. But for the new bridge, they did not construct a footpath, nor did they put staircase to go up and down. This has a major impact on dabbawalas."

He said that the old Lower Parel bridge was spacious, it had stairs. The bridge also had wide footpaths. "As the old bridge was wide and spacious, the place to exchange dabbas (tiffins) was on the footpath. Tiffins for Worli, Kalachowki, Byculla and Mazgaon areas were exchanged here. Now the new bridge has no space and due to which it is difficult to exchange tiffins," Talekar added.

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While urging BMC, Talekar said that the new bridge should have staircase and wide footpaths like the old Lower Parel Bridge.

"Why is there no construction policy of BMC regarding new bridge construction? We have nothing to do with it, but while constructing a new bridge, at least the civic body should think about how people were using this bridge before?" he asked.

Talekar further said that the civic body should have taken local residents and public representatives into confidence while changing the structure of the old bridge.

The Mumbai Dabbawala Association will soon hand over a request letter for the same to MLA Aaditya Thackeray soon.