In a recent update, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) announced that they are working hard to complete the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge in Andheri by the end of this year, December 2023.
Besides, the civic body aims to open at least two lanes of the bridge operational by October 2023. While the entire bridge will open for public use by December 2023.
The fabrication of the bridge's girders has posed significant challenges. Around 1,270 metric tonnes of steel have been purchased. More than 25 per cent of the girder's fabrication is complete at the Ambala facility. But, only about 950 metric tonnes of fabrication material have been found so far. This shortage and the subsequent fabrication process have contributed to the delay in opening the bridge.
To overcome the challenge of inadequate support from pillars and the new approaches, a temporary setup will be constructed on the second lane to facilitate the movement of the girders. Once positioned on the railway portion, the girders will be pushed horizontally into the first lane.
Subsequently, the second girder will be pushed, allowing for the construction of the second lane. This approach requires the approval of the Railway Safety Board and the Research Designs and Standards Organisation. Their timeline will ultimately determine the bridge's early opening.
Gokhale Bridge, which is a crucial east-west connector, has been closed since November 2022. The BMC had made promises to open one lane of the bridge by May 2023 but the progress has been slow. As a result, residents have been eagerly awaiting the reopening and urging elected officials to expedite the process.
However, previous reports from BMC sources indicate that not even one lane of the bridge will be restored until May 2024.
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