Delhi-Mumbai passengers risk lives on bridge

Thousands of passengers on the Delhi-Mumbai trunk route are risking their lives daily by travelling on trains barrelling down the 120-year-old Bhairavgarh bridge in Ratlam, declared "distressed" eight years ago. Railway engineers had certified the bridge unsafe in 2003-04 and sought immediate repairs for it to sustain the pressure of the 50-odd trains pounding down every day, including the Rajdhani, August Kranti, Golden Temple, Duronto, and Sampark Kranti. Railway officials say trains have been running at a "controlled speed" of 30 km per hour on the 330m bridge to ensure that nothing untoward happens. But experts say an eight-year lag could amount to criminal negligence. Many state rail bridges need repair: Indore MP After years of dilly-dallying, the railway ministry finally sanctioned funds for the repair of the 'unsafe' 120-year-old Bhairavgarh bridge in Ratlam in 2011. But there's little to show by way of progress. Not even the diversionary tracks are ready. "There has been delay on part of the ministry in releasing funds for its repair," said a source on condition of anonymity. "I have been raising the issue of the poor condition of railway bridges in MP in the LS, but there has been no response from the railway ministry," said Indore MP, Sumitra Mahajan. Source : TOI