Bombay HC chides rlys for FOB, ROB conditions

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has pulled up railway authorities for the poor condition of rail and foot-over-bridges (FOB).

The court’s rebuke came in the backdrop of the collapse of a portion of the pathway of an Andheri road overbridge (ROB) on July 3, which led to two deaths. The court said “The railway  is considered as the city’s lifeline. But, do the railway authorities care for Mumbai?” Justice Patil asked. “The railways should conduct audit of all the bridges and carry out repair works immediately,” the court said.

A division bench of justices N H Patil and G S Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Swati Trivedi raising concern over the poor condition of city rail overbridges. The bench said “It was time authorities of both the central railways and the western railways take the issue seriously and take immediate measures to ensure no untoward incident occurs.”

The bench posted the petition for further hearing next week, when the railways would have to list the steps it has taken in this regard.