Lalbaug flyover is safe after Saturday tremors

For the second time this week, Mumbaiites felt the tremors of an earthquake, on Saturday morning. This one, measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre in Goshetwad village, about 10 kilometres away from Koyna dam in Satara district.

Experts survey the portion of the Lalbaug flyover from which the concrete slab fell PIC/Datta Kumbhar

This led to a re-examination of the repair work on the portion of the Lalbaug flyover that collapsed on Thursday night (‘Indonesia quake caused Lalbaug flyover crack', April 14). A worker working at the site said, on condition of anonymity, "After Saturday's tremors, we inspected the other expansion joints of the flyover so that the extra concrete at the joint of two pillars does not fall down." Officials, however, refused to comment on
the matter.

The repair work, which the MMRDA started on Friday, will be completed in 3-4 days. Reacting to the collapse on Thursday, MMRDA Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar had said, "We have asked the design consultants and the project management consultants to investigate and submit a report. The Third Party Quality Auditors - Shirish Patel & Associates - have also been asked to submit a report on the structural stability of the flyover and to suggest remedial measures to avoid recurrence of such an incident."u00a0