Mumbai: Building of second arm of Hancock Bridge starts, but first still shut for traffic

Work on the second arm of the Hancock Bridge has started

While the second arm of the Hancock Bridge is taking shape over railway lines near Sandhurst Road, the first one is yet to be opened to traffic as the process is stuck due to a number of issues. Expressing concern over the delay in demolition and reconstruction work of bridges in South Mumbai, an activist said that this would paralyse this part of the city.

Activist Kamlakar Shenoy, who has been fighting for early completion of the Hancock Bridge, said that many bridges in the area were set for rebuilding, and this would lead to a difficult situation. "The first arm of the Hancock Bridge has been placed and a pedestrian foot-over-bridge passing over it has been opened, but the main bridge remains closed as preparatory work on either side is pending," Shenoy said.

"The new bridge is quite high and requires a proper slope on both sides for which approaches need to be built. To get this done, proper space is required and even utilities on either side need to be shifted. The work is still stuck and no mapping of the area is available," he added.

"Bridges in South Mumbai are just not taken care of and if they are demolished for reconstruction, then this part may get cut off from the rest of the city. There needs to be a proper plan in place for such kind of work," he added. Constructing authority Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC) has assured that care would be taken about the traffic patterns.