The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Railways and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to submit structural audit reports of bridges that need to be demolished.
A Division Bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Kamlakar Shenoy raising concerns over the 136-year-old Hancock bridge and 148-year-old Carnac bridge. The PIL challenges the decision of demolishing the Carnac bridge as no report has been submitted stating reasons for razing the structure. The PIL has pointed out that no procedures were followed to place the bridge on the list of structures to be demolished and alleged that the BMC had falsely projected the bridge as putting people’s lives in danger.
The PIL seeks for a demolition and reconstruction chart of bridges before they are demolished. One of the issues highlighted in the PIL was the death of children while crossing the tracks owing to the lack of bridges.
Advocate Suresh Kumar, appearing for the Railways, told the court that experts had mentioned in their report that the bridge was weak and posed a huge risk to commuters.
The court has directed the BMC and the Railways to submit a structural audit report by April 20. The Bench said, “If after perusing the reports we feel that the bridge is indeed dilapidated then we will not pass orders staying the demolition. We cannot put people’s lives at risk just because the demolition will cause inconvenience and citizens can bear the inconvenience for some time.” The Bench said the Railways should meet the concerned departments and clear all obstructions.
