Bhubaneswar, Oct. 8: The East Coast Railway will construct another foot overbridge at the city's main railway station to facilitate movement of passengers.

This will be the third foot overbridge at the station, and it will come up at an estimated cost of Rs 7 crore.

A railway official said the railway's general manager Umesh Singh approved the long-standing demand of another foot overbridge at Bhubaneswar railway station during a review of passenger safety issues last Wednesday.

"The project is likely to be sanctioned this week, and work will be completed by next year. The new overbridge will be six-metre-wide and link platform No. 1 with platform No. 6," said the railway's chief public relations officer J.P. Mishra.

The need of the third foot overbridge was necessitated keeping in view the daily footfall of passengers at the station. More than 80,000 people visit the station now compared to 60,000 people two years ago.

"The proposed foot overbridge will help ease congestion in platforms during the peak hours," said Mishra.

Though the station has two foot overbridge, the one on the Cuttack-end remains less crowded compared to the one near the Khurda-end. This has also forced the railway to form a committee to identify suitable locations for stoppage of trains to ensure that the crowd is evenly distributed between the two existing foot overbridges.

Two escalators and one elevator had been inaugurated at the railway station in March. While two escalators were installed at platform No. 6, the only elevator was installed to take passengers from platform Nos. 2 and 3. The lift is being used only by senior citizens and the disabled.