Mumbai: Work begins on barrier to protect King’s Circle bridge

The traffic police on Tuesday issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Central Railway to erect a height barrier on the southbound carriageway on Dr BR Ambedkar Road ahead of the Sion Hospital flyover.

The barrier is meant to prevent tall vehicles from trying to pass under the King’s Circle railway bridge. The work will begin today.

The Free Press Journal had reported last month that the BMC had allowed Central Railway to erect a height gauge near Sion Hospital. But the work was stuck since as it needed the traffic police NOC.

Last month, to prevent tall vehicles hitting the low railway bridge, the railway, BMC and traffic police had jointly decided to erect barriers before the starting points of flyovers in both directions.

BMC granted permission immediately but the police NOC was issued on Tuesday, after some prodding from the railway. The police, however, claimed that a go-ahead was given many weeks ago.

There have been several instances of vehicles ramming the height barricades just ahead of the railway bridge.

As late as Sunday, the height barricade on the southbound carriageway just ahead of the bridge was rammed by a truck. According to the Sion police, the driver had “no knowledge” of the height limitation.