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Hancock bridge might be open for the public by end of May

The Railway Administration directed to change the layout of the girder as per the guidelines of IIT, Powai. Therefore, it was decided to install girder weighing 1,374 metric tons.

Hancock bridge might be open for the public by end of May
SHARES

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to open the reconstructed Hancock bridge near Sandhurst railway station by May-end for the citizens.

The Britishers had built the Hancock Bridge in 1879 between Byculla and Sandhurst Road railway station. The bridge was repaired in 1923. Later, for the safety of the citizens, the BMC closed the bridge for heavy traffic. However, due to the lack of coordination between the railway administration and the municipal corporation, the bridge could not be rebuilt for many years. During this time, two-wheelers and small vehicles continued to ply.

The authority encountered several roadblocks since it demolished the British-era road overbridge in January 2016. 

Even after that, the project faced several hurdles since its inception. The civic body hired a contractor at the end of the tender process for the reconstruction of the Hancock Bridge. However, as the contractor was involved in a road scam, the municipality was forced to cancel the contract following a court order. A re-tender was issued and a new contractor was appointed. Meanwhile, goods and services tax was imposed in the country. This affected the contract. A girder weighing 660 metric tons was to be used for this bridge.

The Railway Administration directed to change the layout of the girder as per the guidelines of IIT, Powai. Therefore, it was decided to install girder weighing 1,374 metric tons. Some other works also underwent minor modifications. The work began on the skeleton of the bridge at a factory in Chandigarh as it was not possible to bring a big skeleton to Mumbai.

The skeleton was erected near the original site of the Hancock Bridge. This skeleton required the necessary equipment and skilled technicians to fit the original site. Technicians from Chandigarh could not come to Mumbai due to the nationwide lockdown imposed by the coronavirus outbreak. Work on the Hancock Bridge accelerated after the lockdown was gradually relaxed, and 50 per cent of the girder installation work was completed. Now the remaining 50 per cent of the work is being done at a fast pace.

The foundation for the 65-metre long Central Railway bridge near Carnac Bunder has been completed on both ends and the rest will be assembled at the site. However, the work has progressed at a snail’s pace.

According to reports, it will arrive in Mumbai by the end of March and its connection and erection work on the original site will be completed by the end of May, municipal officials said. Once completed, the bridge could be inaugurated in late May or the first fortnight of June.

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