The Central Railway’s (CR) commuters might see an improvement in train punctuality and have to wait for less time in stranded trains during the monsoon, as four bridges are being demolished and raised while two are simply being raised along the mainline.
The CR had demolished the Hancock Bridge and it will bring the hammer down on the Carnac rail overbridge (ROB) first by the end of the month February. The 146-year-old bridge will be one of the four bridges including foot overbridges (FOB) that will be completely demolished and rebuilt. The raised bridges will allow the trains to pass under them at a higher speed. “At first Carnac ROB will be taken apart by the end of February; after this we demolish the Byculla’s Chammar ROB, Swadeshi Mill FOB at Kurla and Panth Nagar FOB at Ghatkopar,” said an official.
The Currey Road and the Tilak Bridge ROB near Chembur will be only ones raised. “Raising the bridge will basically be a boon for punctuality since the trains have to maintain a speed restriction under them, which in turn affects their punctuality. The second advantage is we will be making changes near the foundation by raising them. The drains that pass next to them, for example, will be widened. This will reduce the level of water that collects in these spots and stalls the train during the monsoon,” added the official.
The CR aims to complete all its bridge-related works by the end of this year.
