BMC To Build FoB Connecting Cotton Green Railway Station And Skywalk

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has revealed plans to build a foot-over-bridge (FOB) that will connect the railway station to the current skywalk at Cotton Green, in response to the long-standing demand of the local populace. It will be the duty of the selected contractor to secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) and Central Railway (CR).

The skywalk at Cotton Green does not connect to the railway station. This is causing a huge inconvenience for local residents and commuters. Former local corporator Sachin Padwal emphasised the community's ongoing demand for the FOB. He mentioned that a few years prior, bridge department officials and Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant had visited the location. The proposal has finally begun to move forward, almost ten years after it was first proposed. Padwal further urged the BMC to tear down the current skywalk, saying it was not being used much by people and was only used by drug dealers.

For FOB construction, the BMC started a tender process in June. The project is expected to cost INR 3.33 crore. A quote from M/s. SVJ Inovabuild Pvt Ltd, the lowest bidder, was 23.51% less than the estimated rate. The bridge is expected to cost around INR 4.21 crores in total, including additional costs. With the exception of the monsoon season, the construction schedule is set at 12 months.

Since both CR and MPT will have jurisdiction over the bridge's construction, the chosen contractor must obtain NOCs from both bodies. After obtaining all required permissions, construction is expected to start within the next six months. Two spans, each measuring 50 meters in length and 2.5 meters in width, are included in the design of the bridge.

In October, the BMC announced that it would be installing escalators on skywalks and make them more pedestrian-friendly. There is currently an escalator installed in Jogeshwari (East). It is the only skywalk in Mumbai. Apart from a few sections near the railway bridges, not many people use the skywalk overall.

The BMC later acquired ownership of about 24 skywalks that the Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) had constructed in 2007. It is now the BMC's duty to construct, fix, and maintain the skywalk. On the other hand, it was noted that the skywalks that linked to the railway station bridges only received positive feedback. However, there are few people using the skywalks connected to internal roads. Elderly folks and those with disabilities cannot use the skywalks. Drug addicts and intoxicated people have started to stay on some of the skywalks.

An escalator is built into a skywalk at Jogeshwari (E). The skywalk is rarely used, so its intended purpose is not fulfilled. Since escalators are most needed in certain areas of the skywalk, it was decided to install them there. A civic official stated that they have hired a consultant to investigate potential locations and installation methods for escalators in the city's skywalks.

The BMC has been directed to install lifts and escalators on the skywalk, according to Mumbai Guardian minister Deepak Kesarkar. So going forward, the skywalks will be considerate of pedestrians. Elevators on the city's foot-over-bridge are already being installed by the BMC. The pedestrian traffic outside the station caused by hawkers and autorickshaws has been significantly lowered by the skywalk.