Mumbai foot overbridge collapses; at least 5 killed

MUMBAI: A foot overbridge near Mumbai's landmark Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus railway station collapsed Thursday evening, killing five people and injuring 36. The overbridge was under repair but it was still in use. The collapse took place around 7.30 pm - the busiest hours of the evening when footfall was at its highest.

A team of the National Disaster Relief Force is helping with the rescue work. Senior police officers are at the spot to conduct the operations. NDRF initially said 10-12 were feared trapped under debris, but the police later clarified that was not the case.

Two of the deceased are women and use to work at the GT Hospital, where 10 of the injured people have been shifted. Ten others have been moved to the St George hospital.

The overbridge connected the CST platform 1 at the north end of the railway station with B T Lane near the Times of India building.

The traffic in the area has been affected. The police have asked commuters to use alternate routes. "We are trying to decongest the area so as to ensure easy movement of ambulances. That's all I can say right now," Amitesh Kumar, an officer of the traffic police said.

The CSMT bridge was not part of a safety audit ordered when another foot overbridge collapsed in Andheri in June. The audit had encompassed 445 bridges of the city. AGENCIES