Mumbai: The reconstructed Sion railway overbridge, which was inaugurated on October 22, has blocked the road used by vehicles to access the Our Lady of Good Counsel School and Church in Sion East, inconveniencing nearly 1,400 students and scores of parishioners.
Protesters also raised concerns over illegal hawking on the footpath outside the school and near the railway station. “We are not against anyone earning their livelihood, but cooking with gas cylinders and kerosene stoves right outside a school is dangerous. The footpath should be safe for children and pedestrians.
Since the new overbridge was higher than the earlier one, its retaining wall had blocked the adjacent road using which school buses and other vehicles entered the school and church compound, according to protesters. Vehicles now needed to take a long detour via the Eastern Express Highway to access the premises, leading to delays and traffic snarls, protesters said. The skywalk constructed after the earlier bridge was pulled down was posing further problems for students and parishioners as it passed through the front of the school and church, said Francis Colaco, Secretary General of the Bombay Catholic Sabha. Some hawkers were using gas cylinders and kerosene stoves on the footpath, posing a fire risk, they said. We want the area to be declared a no-hawking zone,” D’Souza said. “The height of approach roads to the bridge had to be raised accordingly, blocking the entry to the school and church compound,” a senior official said, requesting anonymity.
On Sunday, students, school authorities and priests including principal Fr Salvador D’Souza and parish priest Fr Tony D’Souza staged a silent protest on the newly reconstructed bridge, demanding restoration of vehicular access to the school and church premises.
