BMC takes up structural repair works of five bridges across Mumbai

According to the BMC officials, three bridges – Sitaram Selvam Y Bridge (opposite Mumbai Fire Brigade headquarters), Annasaheb Patil Bridge (Gloria Church) in Byculla and Olivant Rail Over Bridge at Mazgaon – and two FOBs near the Bhandari police station and Masjid East-West near the Masjid Railway Station in Masjid Bander will be taken for the repair works.

The project will cost Rs 11.51 crore and the work is expected to be completed in 18 months from the date of the work order issued to the contractor. The civic body has finalised a contractor for the repair works. A proposal in this regard is being kept on hold as no decision was taken in Wednesday’s Standing Committee meeting regarding the approval of the repairs.

The BMC’s decision came after structural audit of these bridges and that of the FOBs found that they are in dilapidated condition and require major repair.

The officials said during the repair, motorists using the bridges would face inconvenience owing to traffic snarls. All the three bridges are crucial to travel from north to south and vice-versa as they connect areas like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mahalaxmi, Dadar and Parel.

“These bridges are quite old and the structural audit found that they need to be strengthened. Since these are busy roads, they need to be repaired as soon as possible,” said a senior official from the bridges department.

After Himalaya Bridge at CSMT collapsed on March 14, 2019, the BMC had ordered re-audit of about 300 bridges across the city. Six people had died in the incident. The BMC investigation had found that the consultant, appointed for structural audit, had declared it safe and suggested only minor repair works. Following this, the BMC had decided to conduct re-audit of the bridges.