Mumbai: Less than a year after the Elphinstone Road station stampede, which claimed 39 lives, heavy rain caused the already-weakened pedestrian section of the busy Gokhale bridge, connecting Andheri (W) to Andheri (E) to collapse onto the tracks.
The incident left five injured, of whom one is critical. The mishap could have been far more tragic had the collapse occurred a few minutes before or after it did, as there were no trains passing below.
According to eyewitnesses, the bridge collapsed between 7.25 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. The Churchgate-bound 7.06 a.m. local from Borivali had just left Andheri station at 7.28 a.m. when an alert motorman saw the collapse and applied emergency brakes.
During morning peak hours, a Churchgate-bound train ferries between 4,000 to 5,000 passengers in each coach, with many hanging from the frames. The bridge collapsed across all five lines, fast and slow, and a train on any of these tracks would have been badly hit. Usually, between 7.20 a.m. and 7.35 a.m., 10 Churchgate-bound locals, both fast and slow, and six Virar- and Borivali-bound trains pass under the bridge.
One of the five injured was waiting for the 7.38 a.m. local to Dahanu, which starts from platform 8, when the mishap took place. The train arrives at Andheri at 7.34 a.m. On Tuesday, following the incident, the local didn’t reach Andheri.
If the incident had taken place an hour later, the frequency of trains would have increased, and consequently, the magnitude of disaster. Users of the overbridge also increase in number as office-goers begin making their way to workplaces.
‘Huge sound, sparks’
Residents of Padri Chawl, located next to the tracks in Andheri (E), were woken up by a loud crash and their homes being shaken by the falling debris.
Soni Parmar and her husband Manoj Sharma said they escaped by a whisker. Their home is located under a hoarding next to the ill-fated bridge. “I had gone to buy milk when I heard a loud sound, almost like an explosion. My husband was sleeping. When I rushed back, a portion of our home was buried under rubble,” Ms. Parmar said. Mr. Sharma was woken by the loud sound. “I work as a security guard, and am a light sleeper. I stepped out to see that a portion of the bridge had fallen. It all happened in minutes.”
Ajay Vajarkar, another resident, said the bridge’s pedestrian section on the western side collapsed first. “The first chunks fell around 7.25 a.m. I was on the terrace doing yoga. There was a loud sound followed by sparks.” His wife Arpita, an lawyer, said the bridge would used leak water onto the platform during the rains, despite complaints.
Chawl residents said they could hear people calling out for help from under the rubble. Manju Kharwa, who lives near the tracks, said, “When the bridge collapsed, our lights went out for a minute. We switched off all mains and disconnected the LPG cylinders.” He son Vicky added, “We wanted to help but we were scared. We could have been electrocuted. There were sparks from the severed cables.”
Mr Vajarkar said the fire brigade reached the spot within 10 minutes, followed by the police. “The fire brigade’s quick response ensured the injured were rescued in a short time.”
Ms Parmar’s home was deemed off-limits when work began to clear the debris from the tracks. “I only hope that my kittens are safe. They are in a cupboard, which hasn’t been damaged,” she said.
Trains affected
Most of the damage occurred on the slow line and the through line, on which fast trains and long-distance trains run. The two lines connecting Goregaon with the Harbour Line were less affected.
In the immediate aftermath, all services on the Western line were halted. Western Railway (WR) resumed services on the Bandra-Churchgate and Goregaon-Virar stretches around 9 a.m. Services to Churchgate and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) from Goregaon started on the two Harbour Line tracks around 2.15 p.m.
Nearly 90% of services on WR were affected. Fourteen trains entering the city via the Western Line were short-terminated at major stations such as Virar, Vasai and Borivali. Over five long-distance express trains were cancelled, including the Mumbai-Delhi August Kranti Rajdhani Express. Seven trains were rescheduled to depart after 7 p.m., including the Mumbai-Delhi Rajdhani Express.
The sudden suspension of services led to overcrowding across stations, and commuters were left stranded. As news about the bridge collapse spread, many chose to travel by road, only to get stuck in massive traffic jams on arterial roads such as S.V Road, Link Road and Western Express Highway (WEH). The BEST pressed extra buses into service on routes running parallel to the tracks, mainly connecting Borivali and Andheri to Bandra, Mahim, Dadar and Wadala. Through the day, BEST added 186 buses to reduce overcrowding at stations.
Several commuters who alight at Ghatkopar to take the Metro to Andheri stayed put at Ghatkopar, opting to change at Dadar. Central Railway (CR) officials said the station saw more than its usual passenger flow as commuters used the Metro to get to Ghatkopar as well. To reduce overcrowding at Ghatkopar station, CR extended three trains terminating at Kurla to Ghatkopar. It also allowed commuters with Harbour Line passes to use the Central Line. An empty rake of the Rajya Rani Express was sent to bring commuters stranded at Vasai to the city.
The ROB, one of the busiest of the city, was closed for operations to clear the tracks were. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar said the bridge will be cordoned off for a couple of days.