(Image source from: Thestatesman.com)

Indian Army To Help Build FOB At Elphinstone Station; Punjab CM Lashes Out:- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a new foot overbridge at the Elphinstone Road station will be built by the army. Fadnavis along with Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal visited the site of tragedy in Mumbai, where a deadly stampede took place in September.

The trio announced that the Army will also help in building foot overbridges at two other stations in Mumbai. 

"We are taking the Army's help in building a new FOB at the Elphinstone Road station and at two other suburban train stations in Mumbai," Fadnavis told reporters at the venue. "I have been informed that the work on these bridges will be completed by January 31," he said.

"Bridges to be built in with cooperation with Army at Elphinstone Road, Currey Road and Ambivali by 31st Jan 2018," Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said.

After his visit, Piyush Goyal, too, tweeted and said, “After the unfortunate incident at Elphinstone Rd Station, a report was made for safety of commuters. Now action is being taken #MumbaiThanksArmy.”

“Armed Forces to help in constructing 3 FOBs at Elphinstone Rd, Currey Rd & Ambivali Stations. Work to be done by 31 Jan’18 #MumbaiThanksArmy”.

“#MumbaiThanksArmy for coming to the aid of the Nation. Grateful to RM @nsitharaman for immediately responding to our call for help,” Goyal tweeted.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Probably first time asked Army to come in to build what could otherwise be called civil work, but Elphinstone tragedy was so big."

(Image Source: Newindianexpress.com)

Seeing urgency of the matter, a call was taken to cooperate as Army has its role at the borders, added Sitharam.

Meanwhile, the move drew a sharp reaction from Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who is also an ex-serviceman, implored Sitharaman not to divert defence resources to civilian jobs.

Singh tagged both the Indian Army Twitter handle (@adgpi) and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in his tweet and said, “The @adgpi job is to train for war, not to be used for civilian works @nsitharaman ji. Don’t divert defence resources to civilian jobs. You’re doing what General Kaul did with the 4th Div before 1962 war with China. It will set a very bad precedent. Pls avoid.”

The @adgpi job is to train for war, not to be used for civilian works @nsitharaman ji. Don’t divert defence resources to civilian jobs(1/2).

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 31, 2017

You’re doing what General Kaul did with the 4th Div before 1962 war with China. It will set a very bad precedent. Pls avoid. (2/2)

— Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) October 31, 2017

To be recalled, around 23 people were killed in a stampede on the Elphinstone Road station foot overbridge (FOB) in September. To manage the crowd on busy platforms, evicted hawkers from suburban train stations, the railway officials posted police personnel after the stampede on September 29. Moreover, it also started speeding up infrastructure projects on suburban network.

SUPRAJA