223 bridges to undergo repair works across Mumbai

After surveying all the 344 bridges in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is finally giving orders for the repair work of 223 bridges. The bridges include foot overbridges (FOB), flyovers, skywalks, and even rail overbridge (ROB). 

Of the 344, 176 bridges require minor repairs and 47 bridges require major repairs. Considering that the surface area will not be affected since a greater part of the repair work involves strengthening the bridges, traffic will thereby not be affected.

In the first phase, bridges in Mulund, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Kurla, Dahisar, Borivali, Kandivali, Malad, Goregaon will be repaired next month. According to the BMC, the work is expected to be complete in 18 months, excluding monsoon. The cost will go beyond Rs 200 crores.

The civic body had given contracts for structural audits of 296 bridges in the city after the Mahad bridge collapse that had killed 31 people in the year 2016. Because the Andheri flyover over the railway tracks collapsed at the time when the orders for the audit were in practice, the civic body decided to audit all 344 bridges, including the ones built newly. 

The structural auditors have also suggested reconstruction of 14 bridges of which three have already been demolished by the civic body. Around Rs 3 crore have been spent on the audit.

14 BRIDGES WILL BE DEMOLISHED LATER IN PHASES

Before the andheri bridge collapse, the bmc had decided to conduct audit of only 296 bridges in the city

Data on bridges in the city including FOBs, ROBs, Skywalks, bridge over nullah and bridge over railways tracks:

344 Number of bridges across the city

176 Number of bridges that require minor repairs

47 Number of bridges that require major repair

14 Number of bridges to be demolished

BRIDGES THAT REQUIRE MAJOR REPAIRS UNDER PHASE-1

Govandi east-west flyover on the eastern highway

Garodiyanagar, Vidyavihar east bridge

D’souza Nagar bridge in Kurla

REQUIRE MINOR REPAIRS

• Veer Savarkar flyover at MTNL junction, Goregaon West 
• Chincholi Fatak Goregaon ROB (North side)
• Goregaon railway subway (south side)
• Railway bridge of Ghatkopar MG Road
• Railway bridge of JVLR near Kanjurmarg
• Railway bridge of Mulund connecting east-west
• Borivali railway subway
• Dahisar railway subways- North and South side
• Dahisar Fatak railway FOB