War of words between the Indian Railways and civic body continues on the issue of Delisle road-over bridge in Lower Parel. The Western Railway has given a deadline of August 20 to the state government and civic agencies for removing the cables, wires, ducts and other utilities passing over the Delisle ROB. The bridge, which has been shut since July 24 for motorists, has been declared unsafe. In fact, movement of pedestrians has also been banned, but due to public and political pressure, part of it has been opened for public use. Metal sheets have been placed on the road below, next to the ROB. Sources said that the utilities are likely to be kept on this portion here. The WR has given an ultimatum, stating that in case if the same are not shifted, these will be removed by the Western Railway to ensure further necessary action. "A number of materials of public-related utilities like cables, wires, ducts, etc., are passing through this bridge. Concerned departments have been requested by the Western Railway to shift these utilities' materials immediately," said Ravinder Bhakar, Chief PRO, Western Railway. One of the reasons behind the collapse of the portion of the Gokhale bridge in Andheri has been attributed to the cables. The railways claim that the civic bodies do not take permission nor intimate them before allowing multiple agencies to pass these cables through the road over bridges; which in turn results in increase of dead weight. The report pertaining to the Andheri bridge collapse states that over 125 tonnes of dead weight passed over the ROB which included seven tonnes of cables and other wires. Over the past few weeks, the railways and BMC have been arguing over who will rebuild the dilapidated ROBs across Mumbai and no consensus has been reached. STATE OF AFFAIR

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