Mumbai stampede: Did the government ignore Sachin Tendulkar's warning over safety of foot-bridges?
- At least 23 died and over 39 were injured after a foot-over-bridge collapsed at Elphinstone Road station
- Former cricketer and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar in 2016 had raised 22 questions about railways including one on Elphinstone Road Station
- While a foot-over-bridge was sanctioned at Elphinstone Road, it was caught in bureaucracy and commuters had to pay with their lives
FollowThe tragedy at Mumbai where a foot-over-bridge (FOB) collapsed at Elphinstone Road station killing where at least 23 died and over 39 was injured could’ve been averted if the Railways Department had heeded to Sachin Tendulkar’s advice.
While commuters had been constantly complaining about the inadequate passage space on the over-bridges, Shiv Sena’s Lok Sabha MP Arvind Sawant and Rajya Sabha MP Sachin Tendulkar had both raised the issue in 2016.
He had asked the Railway ministry whether it had identified high-density stations which have only one single bridge like Mumbra, Parel and others, for additional bridge construction to enhance safety during peak hours, reported DNA.
Sachin has so far raised 22 questions in the Parliament of which eight of them were regarding Railways and one on the Elphinstone Road bridge.
People too had pointed out how unsafe the bridges were.
@sureshpprabhu @narendramodi Is central mumbai station 'Parel' awaiting a stampede? pic.twitter.com/hMhUm4wgJ3
— Chandan KK (@CKSquare) July 28, 2016
In response to Sachin's query MoS Railways Rajen Gohain had responded with an assurance that provisions for five new FOBs had been sanctioned, one each for Bhayandar, Elphinstone Road, Kandiwali, Khar Road and Virar railway stations.
Erstwhile Railiway minister Suresh Prabhu had also assured Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant that he had sanctioned work for an upgrade at Elphinstone Road Station.
However, the work was stuck in bureaucracy and 22 people had to pay with their lives.
