After a delay of seven years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday cleared about 20 encroaching structures that stood in the way of the project to widen the Pachnal Bridge in Deonar. The demolition of these structures will help the bridge-widening project to kick off, BMC officials said. The widening the bridge was originally proposed in 2009 to ease traffic movement in the area. The civic body’s M East ward (Deonar, Govandi) conducted the demolition drive with the help of police.
“Owners of the structures managed to get a stay order against the demolition, which prevented us from taking action against them till date. It delayed the bridge-widening project, affecting residents and commuters in the area. However, this time, we ensured that action was taken and the encroachments were cleared to make way for the widening of the bridge,” said an official from the M East ward office.
Suspecting opposition from the owners of the structures, the demolition was carried out in the presence of 50 police personnel and 31 BMC workers, the official said.