Pune: ROBs at Ghorpadi,Mundhwa

There seems to be some hope for the residents of Ghorpadi and Mundhwa who have to endure long halts at the two level-crossings in the area. The construction work for two railway over bridges (ROB) is expected to commence within a month, as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has reportedly submitted a blue print to the railway department.When contacted, PMC officials said the General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) has been submitted to the railway department. “We had received the plan for carrying out some technical upgradation. Following this, the plan was submitted,” V.R. Patil, officer on special duty, said on Wednesday. Pune Cantonment Board president Brig R.J. Sharma too sounded optimistic. “Major paper work has been completed and the project should start in a month’s time,” he said. Two ROBs will have to be constructed in the Ghorpuri area — one on the Solapur line and the other on the Miraj line. Frequent traffic jams, even patients sometimes getting held up at the level crossings is the order of the day. According to residents, the level crossing is like the sword of Damocles, as it drops any time of the day. Although the passenger and express train schedules are in place, there are no fixed timings of goods trains passing the tracks.A commuter, Sanjay, said he is never sure if he will reach office on time “because the railway gate at the Ghorpadi crossing closes even when they check engines. This checking of engines business takes longer than an express train passes through the area.”The ROB work was also delayed because of opposition by shopkeepers and vendors. Although a market place was ready long time back along a nullah in the area, no efforts have been made to relocate the vegetable-fruit vendors there.