In order to shut level crossings across Mumbai, regional railway authorities are now mulling a new concept of having vehicle road under bridges at key road intersections. This will also allow the speeding up of trains while also cutting down traffic congestion at crossings.
Officials said that around 255 have been planned on Central Railway lines with 22 of them situated in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The plan was revealed in the Parliament on Wednesday following a query by Member of Parliament (MP) from Mumbai North East Manoj Kotak about the condition of railway bridges in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
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“Several road-under-bridges have been planned to eliminate level crossings. It is a faster way to build an east-west connect, as compared to road-over-bridges which involve a tedious and complex methodology. It requires lesser blocks as no big girder installation is involved, the co-ordination with local municipal bodies is also faster and the overall work cost is low and affordable,” a senior official was quoted as saying by mid-day.
The official said that monsoons and drainage issues remain a point of concern. He added that these factors will be individually examined prior to the construction of every road-under-bridge (RUB).
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The targeted completion date for these RUBs will vary depending on factors like the extent of drainage works required, land acquisition, encroaches, among other things. It’s worth noting that Mumbai is expected to get around 22 RUBs, while one has been constructed already.
This RUB is situated on the Diva-Panvel line and was completed in November 2020 at a cost of INR 30 crores with works being carried out during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown.
Authorities are currently planning another RUB on the Diva-Panvel line, one on the Panvel-Jasai line, two of them on the Diva-Roha, ten on the Kalyan-Igatpuri portion along with the suburban lines, six of them on the Panvel-Roha line, and one on the Thane-Airoli line.
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