BMC to shut 29 bridges during rains

Mumbai: Mumbaikars may have to face more inconvenience and traffic jams during monsoon, as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to shut 29 bridges in the city and suburbs.

The recent collapse of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Himalaya Bridge forced the municipal commissioner to seek a re-audit of all 296 bridges. As per the re-structural audit report - 29 bridges in the city, Eastern and Western suburbs were either found to be in a dangerous condition or will have to be demolished or reconstructed. The civic body has already demolished eight bridges out of the 29. Nine have been closed for pedestrian and vehicular movement. The remaining 12 are still open. Repair will start in October.

The final report on the re-audit of the various bridges is now out. This re-audit was ordered just after the CST Bridge tragedy on March 14. 

344 bridges have been constructed and maintained by the BMC. The civic body carried out structural audit of 296 bridges during October 2016 to August 2016. 48 bridges has been handed over to the other agencies like railways and BPT. In that audit, 14 bridges found dangerous. The BMC again audited 304 bridges after Himalaya Bridge tragedy, where they found that 15 bridges were dangerous. The BMC says safety is more important than inconvenience. “We are aware that the people will have to face inconvenience during the monsoon, but life is more important,” said Chief Engineer (bridges) Sanjay Darade. 

“We will try to complete the work in less time as possible, Mumbaikars will have to co-operate with the BMC,” Darade said.