By Express News Service
MUMBAI: At least five people suffered injuries when a foot overbridge (FoB) along the Gokhale bridge that connects Andheri east and west suburbs collapsed at around 7.30 on Tuesday morning.
The injured has been identified as Dwaraka Prasad Sharma (47), Gindham Singh (40), Manoj Mehta (52), Harish Kohate (45). A 60-year-old woman has been referred to the ICU.
As a result, Western railway services were brought to a grinding halt with commuters on this line facing inconvenience.
A part of the bridge collapsed on the tracks between Andheri and Vile Parle suburban railway stations. The incident has also damaged the overhead wires.
The fire brigade rushed into action and efforts are on to clear the debris as well as do away with any dangerously hanging parts of the bridge. Heavy rains have hampered the operations, the fire brigade sources said.
The injured have been sent to hospitals.
"Around 7.30 am, the part of East Western Railway FOB fell down towards Andheri east station.Fire brigade, Mumbai police and ward staff have rushed to the spot," said a Disaster Management Unit official, adding no casualty was reported so far.
GALLERY: Footover bridge collapse hits local train services in Mumbai's Andheri
According to the railway officials, services between Virar and Goregaon at the northern end and between Churchgate and Bandra on the southern side are on.
Officials also said that the traffic between Bandra and Goregaon can't be restored till the tracks are cleared of debris and the overhead equipments restored.
Meanwhile, the suburban services affected on the Western Railway line have paralysed the city and commuters have been affected badly.
The dabbawala services have been adversely affected and they will not be able to operate since the trains are not running, Subhash Talekar, president of dabbawala association has said.
Prashant Ghag, who works in a media house at Fort said, "When I reached Borivali to board a Churchgate bound train, I came to know that all the lines of Western Railway have come to a halt. As I found no alternate means of commute, I was forced to return home."
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal took to Twitter informing that he has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
(With Inputs from PTI)
