Sixth deadline set for ROB over Milan subway

A high-level meeting between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Western Railway (WR) officials bore fruit, as both parties reached consensus over the pending construction work of the rail over bridge (ROB) at Milan subway in Santacruz.

Final push: The under construction ROB at Milan subway. File pic

After missing five deadlines, the ROB is expected to be thrown open for public use by February 2013.

"The most important work of launching girders over the 70-meter span will start by October 15 and we are confident of opening the ROB for motorists by Feb-March 2013," MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said.

During monsoon, the WR authorities had asked the MMRDA to construct an additional column to support the ROB between the tracks. The MMRDA officials had then said the new amendment was unfeasible, as it would delay the project further. Railways' reluctance to withdraw its demand had forced the MMRDA to stop work on one of the most important sections of the bridge that was supposed to pass over the tracks.

Deadlock broken
"We explained the WR authorities that it is was not feasible to construct an additional pillar between the tracks, as there was no place. The design of the bridge, which the MMRDA had planned, was approved by them and they permitted us to start the work of launching girders over the tracks by October 15." an MMRDA official said.

The MMRDA started constructing the 700-meter-log ROB in 2008, at a cost of Rs 41.50 crore. While the original deadline of the project was June 2010, there were several impediments such as rehabilitation and resettlement of project-affected persons, permission from railways, political pressure and absence of labourers after Raj Thackeray's anti-North Indian campaign, among others, which delayed the project.

Deadlines missed
First: June 2010
Second: March 2011
Third: October 2011
Fourth: May 2012
Fifth: October 2012 u00a0