Patripool ROB is a big risk to use: Railway Audit Report

Recently, Central Railways (CR) conducted a safety audit sweep which showed that the old Patripool Road overbridge (ROB) in Kalyan (W) is hazardous for vehicles as well as pedestrian movement. The inspection is a part of Railway and BMC’s joint audit after the Andheri ROB incident. The audit report recommended the bridge to be closed immediately and suggested that it should be dismantled immediately.

As per a CR official, a safety audit was conducted on July 20, jointly by the railway officials, the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and the Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay (IIT-B) officials. The official stated that the civic body has been directed to halt all the vehicular activities according to the audit report.

Although heavy vehicles are prohibited on the bridge, two-wheelers and cars continue to use the bridge. Henceforth, CR has told the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to warn the people about the bridge and ask them to stop using the hazardous bridge.

KDMC Commissioner Govind Bodke said that the municipal corporation had received a notification from the Railways asking them to take an immediate action regarding the new bridge. He stated that KDMC will direct the Maharashtra State Development Corporation (MSRDC) and the traffic police to stop vehicular movement on the bridge.

However, the commissioner indicated that stopping the pedestrian movement and the small vehicles would be very difficult as there is no other viable option for them. 

The bridge was constructed in 1914 and was declared dangerous by Railways in 2013 who also directed MSRDC and traffic department to stop the movement of heavy vehicles on the bridge.

Currently, the vehicles are being diverted to the new Patripool bridge which is being created parallel to the old bridge. MSRDC is already geared up to dismantle the old bridge while on the other hand, the traffic police are struggling to manage the traffic congestion on the new bridge.