Mumbai: BMC asks WR to raze Gokhale bridge structure over railway lines

MUMBAI: On the day the crucial Gokhale bridge in Andheri shut for pedestrian as well as vehicular movement, the BMC wrote to the Western Railways, requesting it to arrange for demolition of the structure above the railway lines on a priority basis. The civic authority further said if the demolition is not carried out within the stipulated time and if there is any untoward incident or casualty, the BMC would not be held responsible for it.
Civic officials said they have fast-tracked the entire reconstruction process and a short tender would be floated by Friday. An official, though, said while they want to issue the work order by December 1, they would be able to begin the reconstruction work only once the railway demolishes the bridge. "If the bridge is demolished well within time, we can operationalise one lane by May 2023 or before next monsoon," said a senior BMC official.

The letter sent on Monday to the Western Railway's chief bridge engineer states demolition of the bridge over the railway portion is a tedious job for the BMC contractor due to live railway lines. "Hence, the chief bridge engineer is requested to demolish the railway portion through Western Railway as early as possible so as to carry out the work over the railway portion without any further delay. It is also to mention here that at present, the railway portion at Hancock and Carnac bridge is being demolished by the railway authority," stated the letter.
When contacted, a WR official said, "We are still to receive the copy from BMC. However, we will coordinate with the BMC on the future course action on demolition of the bridge above the railway tracks."
The estimated reconstruction project cost is Rs 90 crore.
Locals in the area have started an online petition urging the civic authorities to hand over the bridge's construction to the Army so that work can be done on a war-footing.
Dhaval Shah of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) said, "The bridge was shut at midnight. Traffic got diverted to Captain Vinayak Gore flyover and Andheri subway which saw a heavy backlog. We have started an online petition for work to be fast-tracked by handing over reconstruction to the Army." Till Monday evening, the petition had got 2,500 signatures.
Advocate and activist Godfrey Pimenta said the closure of Gokhale bridge has led to utter chaos in traffic management. "The Andheri subway as well as the flyover over the railways near Parle-G factory at Vile Parle have had chaotic scenes since Monday morning. Traffic police personnel are nowhere to be seen to effectively manage vehicles. Hawkers below Andheri Metro have compounded the problem. Western Railway should allow its south-bound railway bridge for use by students and senior citizens," said Pimenta.
Meanwhile, the BMC on Monday also released Rs 19.2 lakh payment to IIT-Bombay to proof-check the proposed Gokhale bridge drawings. (Inputs by Manthan K Mehta)