Passengers caught in the stampede at Elphinstone Road station in Mumbai. Passengers caught in the stampede at Elphinstone Road station in Mumbai.

In August last year, the Ministry of Railways assured a Rajya Sabha MP from Mumbai that the provision of five new foot overbridges (FOBs) in the city, including at the Elphinstone Road station, had been “sanctioned in 2016-17”. The MP was Sachin Tendulkar.

However, the government’s assurance remained on paper. And on Friday, 22 people were killed in a stampede on the existing foot over bridge at Elphinstone Road.

It’s not just Tendulkar. Last year, following repeated requests from Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, the then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had sanctioned work for an upgrade at the Elphinstone Road station under Passenger Amenities for Rs 11.86 crore.

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The tender, valued at Rs 12.8 crore, is set to open in November — over a year after the work was sanctioned in the 2016-17 Rail Budget.

In his question, Tendulkar had asked if the Railways had “identified high-density stations which have only one single bridge like Mumbra, Parel and others, for additional bridge construction to enhance safety during peak hours”.

Mumbai police at the spot after the stampede at Elphinstone station on Friday morning. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran) Mumbai police at the spot after the stampede at Elphinstone station on Friday morning. (Express photo by Nirmal Harindran)

On August 12, 2016, the Railways Minister of State Rajen Gohain responded to the cricket legend by stating that the need for provision of additional FOBs at stations on Mumbai sub-urban section “is regularly examined and if found justified and feasible, suitable action is taken”.

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Accordingly, Gohain stated, the provision of five new FOBs, one each at Bhayandar, Elphinstone Road, Kandiwali, Khar Road and Virar railway stations on Western Railway had been sanctioned.

Gohain also stated that two FOBs had already been made operational at Mumbra and Parel stations while the construction of an additional — third — FOB has been taken up at Mumbra station “in connection with fifth and sixth lines”.

In December 2015, Tendulkar had asked another question in the Rajya Sabha that resonated in the wake of Friday’s stampede. He had sought to know the steps taken by Railways to provide critical first-aid and ambulance access to people injured while using suburban and long-distance services across the country.

The Railways’ response, provided by Minister of State Manoj Sinha, was that “first aid boxes containing essential drugs and dressing materials are provided with the guards of all passenger carrying trains and Station Masters of all Railway stations”.

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Rajya Sabha records show that Tendulkar raised a number of questions linked to Railways in the House — eight out of 22.

Sawant, meanwhile, said he got a “favourable reply” on February 20, 2016 after writing letters to the zonal railways and Railway ministry, and taking the issue up personally with Prabhu in Parliament.

Speaking to The Indian Express over phone on Friday from the stampede site, Sawant said, “This was waiting to happen. I have been telling Railways for years now. Railway officers here are slow and find all ways to delay the work.”

(Source: Express Photo/Nirmal Harindran) (Source: Express Photo/Nirmal Harindran)

In his reply to Sawant, Prabhu wrote: “It has been one of the toughest years for Indian Railways because of the adverse effects of the global slowdown. Even in these challenging times, the following works in your constituency is in our positive consideration.” Prabhu also listed the construction of a 12-m parallel foot over bridge at Elphinstone after extension of platforms 1 and 2 by 100 metres.

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Sawant said that he has been raising the issue of overcrowding on rail foot over bridges for a number of years.

“I got the zonal railway general managers and divisional railway managers to inspect the site to see for themselves the extent of the problem. More such bridges are there and the Railway needs to just give permission to the civic body to start construction, but they are not doing that. I have been chasing them and raising these issues,” he said.

According to Sawant, Prabhu’s predecessor Sadananda Gowda had also assured him that he would “look into it”.

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