This railway bridge is a bridge too far

PUNE: The much-required second foot overbridge (FOB) at the Pune railway station is proving a bridge too far.
Construction of the steel bridge, which began after several false starts in November 2004, was scheduled to be completed by March this year, just in time for the summer vacation rush.
However, according to A.A. Phadke, additional divisional railway manager, Central Railway, Pune, the bridge is
now expected to be in place only by June 2005.
At present, the lone existing FOB is reeling under the summer vacation rush and the rush is expected to get worse in the next two months. The existing 4.5-metre bridge has never been adequate and passengers have been facing problems crossing it during rush hours.
The bridge also witnessed a stampede in 1999, when the arrival of several trains coincided. The same scenario is repeated several times every day, especially during the holiday rush. The saving grace is that the old bridge was reinforced in 2003.
T h e proposed new FOB will be 6 metre wide and will cost Rs 1.5 crore. The funds were cleared by former railway minister Mamata Banerjee way back in 2001.
However, five months after the construction began, not even the foundations of its 20 pillars, spread across six platforms, are complete. One of the foundation pits on platform one is presently being dug, while some of the foundations are complete with RCC substructure.
Nevertheless, at this rate, even the June 2005 deadline seems too optimistic. "This is a pre-fabricated steel bridge, which can be installed swiftly. Components have already begun reaching the Ghorpuri yard. The foundation schedule has admittedly been delayed due to unforeseen problems in excavation, but June 2005 seems reasonable," railway sources said.
However, until the new FOB comes up, the authorities will have to be alert about potential stampede-like situations and ensure smooth passenger movement.
On any given day, the bridge is a nightmare, especially for the old, ailing and physically challenged, with much pushing, shoving, squabbling and pick-pocketing going around.