Gokhale bridge fiasco: Politicians step in, will be hit ya miss?

Mangal Prabhat Lodha chairs a meeting with BMC and Western Railway officials on Friday evening

The BMC and WR officials met on Friday morning to discuss the fate of the railway portion of the Gokhale Road bridge, with the latter refusing to undertake the demolition work. It was after Mangal Prabhat Lodha, guardian minister of Mumbai suburbs, chaired a second meeting, Western Railway agreed to demolish the part of the bridge. The BMC will bear the cost of demolition. It then aims to rebuild at least two lanes by June 2023.

At the first meeting on Friday, the WR officials stood firm on their stand that the BMC demolish the railway portion of the bridge, and that they will extend any assistance required for the purpose. "The railway officials were cooperative, but there were some issues regarding the floating of the tender for demolition. The issue has been resolved and WR will float the tender for demolition," said a civic official.

Also read: Mumbai: WR, BMC formalise plans to demolish, rebuild shut Gokhale bridge

Gokhale bridge in Andheri was closed on November 7. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Andheri MLA Ameet Satam said, "On Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke with the Railways minister, following which Lodha called a high-level meeting at my request." At the meeting, it was also decided to seek a second opinion on the bridge's structural report and to evaluate if one half can be opened for pedestrians and two-wheelers. The BMC expects a report in this regard in a week. P Velrasu, additional commissioner of the BMC, "But, it will not be opened for four-wheelers or any other vehicles. Any decision will strictly depend on the report."

WR to float tender

Western Railway (WR) will float a tender for the demolition work, with the plan to demolish two of the four lanes by March. "Until then, the BMC will assemble the parts. We will start reconstruction by March and complete it by June 2023. The BMC will float a tender for reconstruction of the bridge on Saturday," said Velrasu.

The BMC will reconstruct the second half of the bridge by September 2023. The civic body closed the Gokhale Road bridge in Andheri on November 7. MLA Satam added, "Work on making precast material of the new bridge will start simultaneously as the bridge is being demolished. By March, the BMC will start the work on assembly of precast material on the site."

"At the meeting held at Mantralaya between 6 pm and 6.45 pm on Friday, chaired by Mr Lodha, Western Railway headquarters agreed that demolition of the railway portion of the old Gokhale Road overbridge in Andheri will be carried out by Western Railway Survey and Construction organisation. First north-lane carriageway (Virar-end) will be demolished by March 15, 2023, and the south-lane carriageway (Dadar-end) will be demolished after the north-lane is constructed and opened for traffic. The tender for construction of complete bridge (railway portion as well as the approach roads) will be floated by the BMC on November 12, 2022," a WR spokesperson said.

‘BMC has no expertise'

"The BMC does not have any expertise in demolition of bridges on the railway tracks and we are ready to pay the cost to the Western Railway. There are live cables and if any portion falls and damages the track then it will be more serious," Velrasu said.

"The Railways has carried out the demolition work of all the bridges on the rail lines and it has the expertise. For the demolition of the railway portion of Gokhale bridge, we will pay them the cost. We will start the process of tender for reconstruction of the bridge," Ulhas Mahale, deputy commissioner of the BMC

The estimated cost for demolition will be decided by WR. The cost of the reconstruction of the railway part is R84.72 crore, said officials. The process of opening the tenders will be completed by November 30. The contract of Rs 138 crore for the reconstruction of the approach roads was given in February 2020.

Resurfacing of alternative roads done

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Friday that it has completed the resurfacing of alternative routes for the Gokhale bridge, including Nehru Road, Military Camp Road, Khar Bhuyari Marg and N S Phadke road. "Considering the increasing number of vehicles on alternative routes due to the closure of the Gokhale Road bridge, resurfacing of the roads was done at night," said an official from the BMC. "After the resurfacing of the important roads, the civic administration is taking up the works to ensure all the alternative roads are in good condition," the official added.