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BMC Installs Girders at the Hancock Bridge Ahead of December Completion Deadline


BMC Installs Girders at the Hancock Bridge Ahead of December Completion Deadline
SHARES

The Hancock Bridge was demolished in 2016, and Central Railway (CR) is preparing to expedite works on this project so as to have it ready by the deadline of December 2020. As the project work goes ahead, CR blocked the road at the CSMT-Chinchpokli suburban to lay girders across the tracks under the bridge.

The bridge had to be demolished after it was deemed to be in a dilapidated condition, and unsafe for pedestrians or vehicular traffic. The newly constructed bridge will reportedly be 15 meters wide and 65 meters long built at an estimated cost of Rs 52 crore. The bridge will also weigh a total of 660 tons. 

Kamlakar Shenoy, a resident and local activist filed a public interest litigation (PIL) with the Bombay High Court asking for the construction of the new bridge to be expedited.

“Hancock bridge is very important for Mumbaikars. In its absence, vehicles take a long detour. For example, a five-minute BEST bus journey takes 45 minutes on certain routes because of the bridge’s absence,” Shenoy said.

Also Read - Reconstruction Of Hancock Bridge Delayed Yet Again

Central Railway officials have previously maintained that reconstruction work at the bridge was delayed due to the ongoing litigation. However, in November 2017, the Supreme Court paved the way for the work to begin with the tendering process starting subsequently. 

CR Chief Spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said, “To ensure there was no problem during the launch, we stopped all suburban rail movement for nearly five and a half hours on Sunday. A special block was undertaken.” 

Given that the bridge was non-functional for a long period of time, several people decided to cross over on the railway tracks, leading to the death of nearly 60 people between Sandhurst Road and Byculla stations, as per data.

Also read - Hancock Bridge Reconstruction Work To Speed Up


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