Amid closure of the Gokhale bridge, the demand for access to the railway bridge at Andheri arises | So Good News

Mumbai: As the demolition of Gokhale Bridge started from Monday, Andheri residents have launched an online campaign urging the concerned authorities to complete the works on war footing within the next one year to avoid further inconvenience to the public.

Civil society activists have also written to the railways and BMC asking them to allow temporary use of a footbridge near the railway station to facilitate pedestrian movement.

Apart from that, Watchdog Foundation, a citizens’ forum, has written to the Chief Minister, BMC and Western Railway (WR) demanding access for pedestrians on the railway foot over bridge at Andheri station for an interim period.

Watchdog Foundation: “Complete Chaos in Traffic Management”

Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation said, “The closure of the Gokhale Bridge has led to complete chaos in traffic management. The Andheri Subway as well as the level crossing near the Parle G factory in Vile Parle have seen chaotic scenes since morning. Traffic police personnel are nowhere to be seen to effectively control the traffic. The hawkers under the Andheri Metro station have further compounded the problem with people.”

He further said that the state government and the BMC should make a proposal to the WR to allow pedestrians to use the southbound railway bridge at Andheri station till the Gokhale bridge is opened to the public. Pimenta also said that the Gokhale Bridge reconstruction tender should be given a hefty bonus so that the project is completed within a period of six months or so.