Delisle ROB reopening? The joke’s on us citizens
Western Railway says the much-needed road overbridge cannot be reopened before March 2023
Hit by Covid lockdown and lack of skilled labour, Lower Parel's Delisle Road overbridge (ROB), which was shut in July, 2018, will take another eight to nine months to reopen. The bridge is likely to reopen for public by February end or first week of March, 2023. The Britishera bridge was shut for traffic after it was declared unsafe by a joint committee of railway, BMC and IIT Bombay experts.
"The work of the railway portion will be completed by August this year," a senior rail official said, adding that the remaining work will be completed by February, 2023. After the railway finishes its part, the BMC will start working on the approach road, the official added.
Asked about the delay in the work, a rail official said, "The railway had taken up the dismantling work of five spans and completed in record five months in February, 2019. Dismantling of abutments couldn’t be taken up for want of removal of encroachments by the BMC. The work of dismantling abutments was finally completed in June, 2019."
"The detailed estimate for the Railway portion of ROB, chargeable to deposit work of BMC was sanctioned at Rs 125.83 crore in February, 2019" he added.
He further said that the work was further marred by "deflection" during assembling of typical truss girders. The design of these infra was prepared by a consultant and proof checked by IIT Bombay. It was further sent to the Research Designs & Standards Organisation, the railway's technical arm. The revised superstructure drawing duly incorporating the modification/corrections as suggested by IIT Bombay and railway engineers was approved by RDSO on December 16, 2021, apprised a WR official.
Asked about the current status of the bridge, the official said, "Now the work is in full swing, we are going to launch the first girder in this month (May) and the second girder launching work will be completed in August."