Dismantling, rebuilding work is part of effort to build cutting-edge cable-stayed bridge
An artist’s impression of the proposed revamped Reay Rd stn
In an unprecedented move, the over-century-old ticket counter of Reay Road station, one of the city’s five listed heritage railway stations, will be dismantled and reconstructed a few metres away from its original spot. This is being done so as to accommodate a state-of-the-art bridge that will come up in place of a century-old bridge that was demolished last month.
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The old bridge was in a dangerous condition, as per an IIT audit. Its successor has a cable-stayed design like the Bandra Worli Sea Link and is being built by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC) as a part of its endeavour to rebuild 11 road overbridges and one road underbridge in Mumbai and suburban regions.
The plan to dismantle and reconstruct the station was presented to the city’s heritage committee last year and received preliminary consent. As per the proposal, a copy of which is with mid-day, the ticket counter which forms the station façade on the road bridge requires to be shifted.
Reay Road station was the first terminus of the harbour line railway when it was originally completed in 1909-1910. Pic/Ashish Raje
“The proposal contemplates dismantling and reconstruction of the Reay Road ticket counter further to the north by a few metres on a new base due to the increase in height and width of the new bridge to facilitate the required clearance above railway tracks. The connecting ramps shall also be shifted accordingly to provide access to the platform,” it states. The station structure has featured in the Grade I list of 1995 and later in the Grade II-A list of 2012. Giving in-principle consent, the city’s heritage committee sanctioned the work to be conducted under a conservation expert.
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“The site was visited by the committee along with the representatives of MRIDC and the railways. It was observed that the structure has been highly neglected and in a bad shape. The building is structurally, and aesthetically modest and doing a systematic deconstruction and reconstruction was possible. Considering all facts in the larger interest of the public and convenience of city mobility, the committee granted ‘in-principle’ consent for the scheme of shifting of the structure,” the heritage committee observed.
“A conservation expert should be appointed for the work. Its detailed heritage documentation, including its special features, material specifications and construction technology, should be prepared before commencing any work. The comprehensive proposal, including documentation, details of systematic dismantling and reconstruction, shall be prepared by a conservation expert and submitted to the heritage committee for its approval before starting any work,” said the minutes of a meeting of the heritage committee. Officials said the MRIDC has been already working on this and will be maintaining the heritage splendour of the structure.
“The new cable-stayed bridge will have a longer span to minimise the number of foundations as well as shifting of underground utilities. The proposed foundation arrangement and bridge structure will allow traffic movement to continue through the underpass of Barrister Nath Pai Road. Also, it will maintain the required vertical clearance as per the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standard,” Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, managing director, MRIDC, said.
Features of the new bridge
>> The cable-stayed bridge will add aesthetic appeal to the world-class heritage structure. MRIDC has designed architectural LED lighting on the bridge that will enhance the aesthetic appeal and improve safety parameters.
>> The bridge is planned in such a way that the requisite vertical clearance is maintained and the height required for the passing of vehicles on the Eastern Freeway is achieved.
>> The bridge will avoid the central pier that is present at the west and east side underpass, which is prone to accidents.
>> Pedestrian movement towards Reay road station shall be ensured by providing a footpath on the Cotton Green-end of the proposed ROB. A selfie point will also be provided on the iconic bridge.
>> The length of the bridge is 385 metres and the approximate cost of construction is R143 crore. The plan is to complete the construction work in less than two years, said officials.
First terminus of harbour line
The station is important because it was the first terminus of the harbour line railway when it was originally completed in 1909-1910. The station was opened as a terminus on December 12, 1910, and named after Donald Mackay, 11th lord of Reay Country (north coast of Scotland, today Strathnaver), who was the governor of Bombay from 1885 to 1890. The elevated basalt structure features faded etching on both its sidewalls that read Reay Road G.I.P.R (Great Indian Peninsula Railway). A wall clock embedded in one of the arched eight windows in the building above the two tracks faces the platforms.
1910
Year Reay Road station was opened
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