BMC decides to build six new bridges

Presenting a INR 39,038 crores budget for the year 2021-22, Mumbai Municipal Commissioner IS Chahal unveiled an infrastructure plan for the country’s commercial capital. There is an allocation of INR 18,750 crores for various development projects to be executed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) during the coming financial year. Out of this, BMC has allocated INR 961 crores only for repair and reconstruction of bridges.

Following the collapse of Gokhale Bridge and Himalaya Bridge at Andheri on the Western Railway in Mumbai, the civic body decided to pay special attention to the maintenance of all flyovers and railway bridges in Mumbai.

The civic body intends to take up works like various projects like coastal road, GMLR, Hydro - Solar Power Project at Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Middle Vaitarna Dam, Desalination Project, Rejuvenation of Mithi River and Rejuvenation of Dahisar, Poisar and Walbhat Rivers. In addition, it also plans to upgrade Deonar Abattoir, five hospitals12 Railway bridges and six new bridges across Mumbai.

These six bridges will be in addition to the seven bridges that have been sanctioned earlier. The seven bridges will be constructed between Malad and Andheri, which include Madh-Versova creek bridge, Marve Manori bridge, the bridge over Oshiwara river and Malad creek, the bridge over Ramchandra Nala at Evershine Nagar to Marve Road, the bridge at Lagoon Road to Infinity Mall and bridge at Dhariwali village on Marve Road.

As suggested in the survey of the bridges, the municipality undertook the task of repairing the bridges on a large scale. Accordingly, 21 small and large dilapidated bridges in Mumbai have been demolished and rebuilt. Also, major structural repairs of 47 bridges and minor repairs of 144 bridges are in progress.

A total of 344 bridges in Mumbai are maintained by the municipality, including flyovers and railway bridges. Twelve railway tracks and a subway under will be reconstructed. These include Tilak Bridge at Dadar Station and Ray Road Railway Station Bridge. These bridges will be constructed in the next three years. Central Railway and Western Railway have undertaken the works of reconstruction of pedestrian bridges, the railway bridge at Lower Parel, re-girdering of Ferrare bridge at Grant Road station, repair of Byculla railway bridge.

In a substantial development, BMC will provide INR 700 crores to the railway administration for the construction of bridges on the railway line. The civic body has allocated INR 200 crores in the revised budget of 2020-21 and INR 200 crores in the budget of 2021-22 to pay this amount to the Railways.