Mumbai: Bandra’s U-bridge now gets chain link fencing

Workers install the chain link fencing at the Bandra bridge. Pic/Ashish Raje

In an attempt to stop two- wheeler riders from falling off the 50-foot-high U-bridge at Bandra during accidents, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has installed a chain link fencing on its crash barriers.

On April 10, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar tweeted, "With the joint efforts of MSRDC, facilitated the installation of protective netting on the ‘U-Bridge' that connects Kalanagar to SV Road as well as Vandre Reclamation, to curb the incidents of frequent accidents in the vicinity and ensure the safety of the commuters."

Several measures in place

The U-bridge of the Mahim Interchange Flyover is maintained by the MSRDC. It has taken several precautionary measures to prevent accidents on it. The MSRDC has put in place a speed limit and diversion signage boards. To curb the speed, rumblers have also been installed. As per IRC standards, the provision of RCC crash barriers has been done along with painting to crash barriers and median. A provision of rubber tyres was also done alongside the crash barrier to avoid mishaps, but these were stolen.

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It was observed that despite these measures in place, bikers ride at high speed on the U-bridge and accidents take place. MSRDC had floated a tender to provide brifen wire rope fencing on U-bridge but no agency bid for this in the year 2022. MSRDC has now provided chain linking fencing.

'Public reps pursued issue'

Independent ex-municipal councillor Raja Rahebar Khan said, "For many years as public representatives, we were pursuing the putting up of safety barriers or fencing above the crash barrier with MSRDC, as this was an accident prone bridge, specially for two wheelers. Numerous cases of bikers falling from the bridge were seen. But officers changed and MSRDC, being a government of Maharashtra authority, was not convinced by municipal corporators. But in past five months, there were three cases in which bikers lost their lives after falling from the bridge. This time, the Bandra police and local MLA came together seeking safety barriers/fencing, which the authorities finally installed."

MSRDC officials said that they and police officers had visit the site and the police has informed orally that in spite of their vigilance on U-bridge, bikers ply at very high speed on it, violating traffic rules, which result in fatal mishaps. There is a sharp turn on this bridge and several accidents have taken place in which bike riders got killed and injured.

Due to the work done by the MSRDC, in case of accidents, a bike or pillion rider will not fall from the bridge as the flexible wire will protect him or her from falling.

50
Height of U-bridge at Bandra in feet. The structure is maintained by the MSRDC