September 6, 2025: For more than two months, commuters using Aarey metro station in Goregaon East have faced a peculiar problem: a newly constructed foot overbridge (FOB), meant to provide direct access across the Western Express Highway, remains firmly locked.
In the absence of access, passengers exiting the station are forced to walk nearly 50 metres along a busy road before climbing an existing pedestrian bridge maintained by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). “All this jugglery even after the infrastructure is ready,” commuter Rahul Kumar Jha complained on X, noting that the bridge was initially expected to be inaugurated on 15 August.
The station, part of Metro Line 7 (Gundavali–Dahisar East), already has a civic-maintained FOB. The new bridge was built earlier this year by Oberoi Realty under a Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) policy that obliges developers to provide direct access to stations from nearby establishments. The structure runs parallel to the BMC’s bridge at the northern end of the station.
Some residents recall the bridge being partially operational for a short period. “It was opened briefly, but only workers heading to the adjoining commercial complex were allowed through. Within days, it was closed again,” said Ritesh Uttamchandani, a Goregaon resident.
Officials from Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Limited (MMMOCL), which manages Line 7, explained that the bridge has not received mandatory safety clearance. Much like an occupancy certificate for buildings, this approval is essential before the facility can be opened to the public.
While Oberoi Realty has yet to respond to queries, MMMOCL has also refrained from providing a timeline. In the meantime, thousands of commuters continue to endure inconvenient detours, even as a completed bridge stands unused beside them.
Source: Hindustan Times
