Mumbai: Just two days after the Central Railway alerted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) regarding recurring incidents of vehicles hitting the height gauge barriers installed to protect the Road over Bridge, another container truck struck the height gauge barrier of Kings Circle Road Over Bridge early Wednesday morning. The incident caused significant traffic disruptions toward Dadar during the morning hours, which were resolved after authorities cleared the debris. Fortunately, the Road over Bridge (ROB) and railway operations remained unaffected, but the increasing frequency of such accidents has raised concerns among railway officials.

According to a Central Railway spokesperson, the first collision occurred around 3 am yesterday, when a truck hit the sacrificial height gauge installed as a precaution before the actual height barrier. Later in the morning, another vehicle hit the primary height gauge. In response, a railway employee was stationed at the location to prevent over-height vehicles from accessing the bridge area.  “To ensure the safety of the bridge, we plan to restore the damaged height gauge tonight,” the spokesperson added.

When contacted Senior Police Inspector Rajendra Pawar of Sion Police Station, he told FPJ that a non-cognizable offense registered against the driver under Section 324 (3) of the BNS Act for dangerous and negligent driving. The accused, identified as Salahuddin Ata Mohammad (31), was counselled on the consequences of his actions before being released. This accident happened at 3.00 AM on January 8.'Police reiterated the significance of safe driving practices and issued a strict warning to the driver, cautioning him of severe penalties for any future violations" he added.

Frequent Collisions Spark Concern 

A senior Railway officials revealed that in the past two years, they had repeatedly written to the BMC about this issue, including the most recent letter sent on January 6, 2025. Data shows that in 2024 alone, 38 incidents of vehicles hitting the height gauge barriers were reported, including at additional barriers installed near Sion Hospital and the Dadar side of the bridge.

The officials explained that the problem worsened after the BMC increased the road height under the bridge to prevent flooding. This change reduced the clearance, particularly in the middle lane, which has become a hotspot for such collisions. As per rule, minimum clearance at underpass shall be 5.0 m and preferably 5.5 m in urban areas. After raising of road in middle two lanes , clearance of only 4.29 m there at present. 

Railway Registered FIR

Following the latest incident, the railway registered an FIR against the container truck driver, and local police have begun an investigation . Officials pointed out that many of the drivers involved in these accidents are from outside Mumbai and are unaware of the height restrictions. Compounding the problem, drivers often rely on Google Maps, which suggests the fastest route rather than the safest one for heavy vehicles.

“Owners should guide their drivers about sensitive routes instead of relying on Google Maps. The responsibility lies more with the owners than the drivers,” a railway official stated.

Night-Time Vulnerability

Most incidents occur during the night or early hours when drivers tend to speed and some time miss the warning signs, officials noted. “Drivers of trucks and container vehicles often ignore the ‘bridge area’ signage, leading to such accidents,” the official added. However, drivers blame poor visibility especially during nighttime.