Relax norms regarding widening of bridges: Audit report of suburban railway stations

Foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road station. Express

THE RAILWAYS have expressed concern over the existing schedule of dimensions of the foot overbridges (FOBs) on platforms, claiming that it affects widening of the bridges for commuters. As railways cannot change the existing dimensions, they have asked the board to relax the norms regarding widening of the bridges.

The suggestion was pointed out in the Western Railway audit report of suburban railway stations, which was submitted to the board last week.

The schedule of dimension (SOD) refers to the ideal distance between the arm rest of the staircase and the mid point of the track.

At present, the SOD is 4.5 metres for railway stations across the suburban railway network.

The existing SOD rule, officials said, was in accordance with the design and footfall at stations formulated by the British. While railways had earlier tried to ask the commissioner of Railway Safety and the Railway Board to change it, no action was taken.

The audit report of the Western Railway read, “The widening of foot overbridge landings on platforms is not possible at a number of locations due to infringement of the existing SOD, for example at Charni Road. In order to allow for smoother passenger dispersal at the platforms, the SODs need to be relaxed for the suburban sections and a condonation be accorded by the Railway Board for the same.”

The audit report added, “This will enable construction of wider staircases/landings of foot overbridges, which has become imperative in view of the passenger movement.”

Relaxing the rules of SODs will aid in widening of the bridges, as the same has been an important consideration of the railways to decongest crowd at popular foot overbridges.

Stations such as Charni Road, Jogeshwari, Andheri railway stations on the Western Railway and Parel, Currey Road, Asangaon and Chinchpokli on the Central Railway require extension of the staircase of the bridges.

The railways have recommended that the SOD should be decreased to 4 metres, as compared to the current 4.5 metres.

A senior railway official said, “This could help widen the staircase and ease commuter movement to a large extent. Staircases of popular foot overbridges are so heavily crowded during the peak hours that they require an extension at the earliest.”

“The CRS would claim that the Railway Board is allowed to change the dimension rules. The board believes a proper study should be conducted before changing the rules. We are also making additional bridges and adding passenger amenities, such as lifts and escalators, so that a narrow staircase is no longer the problem,” added an official.

More than 100 lifts and escalators are scheduled to be added in the suburban railway network to assist commuters,
officials said.