High level panel to probe delay in tendering process of Elphinstone rail foot overbridge

NEW DELHI: Railways has constituted a high-level committee to investigate why there was a delay of 18 months in issuing a tender for a new foot overbridge at Mumbai’s Elphinstone Road station. The panel will be chaired by former Central Vigilance Commissioner Pratyush Sinha.

The members of the panel include Vinayak Chatterjee, Chairman CII Economic Affairs council, Subodh Jain, former Member Engineering-rail board and director safety-rail board Pankaj Kumar. The panel is expected to submit the report within three months.

Former Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had approved the proposal for a new bridge in April 2015. However, tender is yet to be awarded.

Last month, 23 people were killed in a stampede on a foot overbridge at Mumbai’s Elphinstone Road railway station.

On Wednesday, Western Railways in a report blamed rain, overcrowding and rumours for the stampede.