Residents of Frazer Town staged a protest on Tuesday to oppose the increased length of the Railway overbridge between Mosque Road and Richards Park.
The overbridge, widely used by the area's residents, was demolished with the promise of being rebuilt. However, the residents now claim that the authorities have altered the original design.
"The bridge was nearly 80 years old, and it was demolished to construct a stronger one. The Railways initially discussed the plan with us a year ago when the work began. However, they have now modified the plan and nearly doubled the length of the overbridge," said Saud Dastagir from the Frazer Town Residents' Welfare Association (FTRWA).
The extended length of the bridge will negatively impact commuters and the Hajee Sir Ismail Sait Masjid.
"Many trees will also be affected if they proceed with the plan," added another resident of the area.
Dastagir further stated that the authorities failed to consult the residents regarding the new plan and demanded that the engineers present it to them since they are the most affected stakeholders.
“Now, the bridge will touch the MM Road and this will affect the access to many other junctions. As daily commuters and residents of the area, we are the stakeholders and we want to know why the length of the bridge was increased,” he said.
In response to the protests, the engineers have agreed to meet with the residents on Wednesday.