1 week Ago By Mid-day
Mumbai’s is going to be redeveloped and that will transform the area into a major transport and commercial hub. Five towering commercial buildings will rise on the east side, transforming Andheri’s skyline with a modern look. This redevelopment aims to create a structure similar to the ones in Navi Mumbai, combining retail, commercial, and railway operations above the station, according to a report.
Once complete, the new station complex, alongside the upgraded Gokhale bridge, will serve as a major hub for intermodal connectivity. Western Railway officials said the station includes five towers with three basement-level parking, interconnected office buildings, and multimodal integration with the Blue Line 1 Metro passing through here. This is a significant development given that Andheri station serves 7,00,000 passengers during peak hours, and the redevelopment aims to manage the anticipated growth, especially with the future expansion of the Metro.
Some of the basic infra to go along with this is that exits must be managed well, with none of the frenzy for rickshaws that we see at stations. The escalators must be in good working condition and well maintained in order to handle what one perceives will be more load. The announcement system must be clear and audible.
This edit has highlighted how unclear, hard-to-hear announcements lead to panic and confusion, creating a pressure cooker situation at our stations. The entries to this station complex, part commuting hub, and part commercial must be relatively clear. In a crowded city, this is challenging but regulated transport outside and pavements free of hawkers will go some way in ensuring this.
Fire-fighting and emergency systems must be in place, numbers accessible and in top working order. In the end, redevelopment may be inevitable but adjunct infra needs to keep up, too..
