Government's negligence is apparently the major reason behind the Elphinstone railway station stampede in which 22 people lost their lives in Mumbai, on Friday.
Even as former Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, during his tenure, had sanctioned an extension of the foot over bridge on a priority basis, however, his orders were never implemented as the railway board was sitting on the file.
The project, costing Rs 11.86 crore was included in the works to be done in the year 2016-17. However, it never got underway since it also entailed extension of platforms 1 and 2 on the station.
Sources close to Prabhu say that the railway bureaucracy was a big stumbling block in moving the projects forward.
At least 22 persons were killed and over 30 injured in a rush-hour stampede on a narrow foot overbridge (FOB) linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban stations during heavy rain.
Police also suspect that a short-circuit with a loud sound near the FOB led to panic and people started running, resulting in the stampede.
Eight women and a young boy were among those killed, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) disaster management cell chief Mahesh Narvekar said, adding that five of the injured were critical.
With Agency Inputs
