BENGALURU: The second foot overbridge (FOB) at the City railway station is nearing completion. Set to be inaugurated in January, the bridge is aimed at easing congestion in the station that witnesses a footfall of 2 lakh a day.
The construction, which utilised funds worth `4 crore and a whopping 300 metric tonnes of steel, began in October 2014.
“The overbridge will be of use to those using the Second Entry as it connects Platforms 7 and 8 to Platform 1. Only Platform 4 will not be part of it as it is very narrow,” said Sanjiv Agarwal, Divisional Railway Manager, Bangalore Division.
When the signal-free corridor planned at Okalipuram gets completed, more than 50 per cent of the passenger traffic to the City station is expected through this entry, he said.
The completion of this project, whose original deadline was October 2015, has suffered a three-month delay. “Shifting utilities like signaling cables across the station took more time than expected,” Agarwal said.
A noteworthy feature of the overbridge would be the two ramps, one connecting Platforms 5 and 6 and another connecting Platforms 7 and 8.
“The ramps were built to benefit the differently-abled and passengers who wish to take
trolleys across the station. We sometimes have to stop trains until passengers cross the trolley path,” said Lakshman Singh, Divisional Railway Manager (Works).
The new foot overbridge (on the Cantonment railway station side) will ensure the safety of passengers, he added.
A top railway official said that the foot overbridge on the Mysore Road end and the subway are inaccessible to many passengers who get down on the other side of the trains.
“If there are two such bridges, they can access whichever is closer to them,” he added.
The bridge is being constructed without causing any disruption to the regular services, the official said. “There are many overhead electrical wires. We had to take precautions to ensure the safety of the working staff.”
The basic steel structure has been completed. “Painting of the bridge and other finishing touches are currently in progress,” the official added.
The foot overbridge will be of use to those using the Second Entry as it connects Platforms 7 and 8 to Platform 1