Expressing their dissent over prolonged delay in completing the work and reopening the second arm of the Delisle bridge, local residents, schoolchildren and representatives of various political parties gathered at Lower Parel on Wednesday, September 13.
At the construction site, the children were seen holding placards that questioned the authorities about when the bridge would finally be ready as they were most affected. Locals said that a five-minute walk to their school has been a 30-minute drive since the last 5-6 years after the bridge was shut. Schoolchildren travelling to Dadar for their school have to travel nearly for an hour due to congestion on the Elphinstone flyover after the Delisle bridge was shut.
They warned the civic body that if the bridge is not opened by September 19, the beginning of Ganeshotsav, the residents will inaugurate it themselves or sit on a hunger strike.
Moreover, a letter has been submitted a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Chief Iqbal Singh Chahal, urging them to open the complete bridge on September 18.
In response to this, Ulhas Mahale, deputy municipal commissioner (infrastructure) said that the northbound lane of the bridge towards N M Joshi Marg will open for the public before Ganeshotsav. The full bridge will be completed by the end of October 2023.
However, now the demand is that the BMC should open the full bridge, a member of the Lower Parel Bridge Kurti Committee.
Moreover, residents formed an action group called ‘Lower Parel Udaanpul Nagrik Kruti Samiti’ which translates to Lower Parel Flyover Citizen Action Committee, demanding the speedy opening of the bridge.
Initially, the BMC had planned to open the second arm of the bridge by the end of August. However, due to heavy rain and a shortage of gravel, the work was halted and the civic body had to extend the timeline for opening the bridge, officials stated.
It is pertinent to note that the bridge has been shut for over five years. Despite several promises and deadlines, the work is pending. The west arm of the Delisle rail over bridge (ROB) in Lower Parel was reopened for traffic on June 1.
Share
Tweet
