Gokhale bridge demolition: After political intervention, Western Railway to demolish bridge

Mumbai: In a high level meeting held in Mantralaya, it was finally decided on Friday that the Western Railways will be demolishing the Gokhale bridge in Andheri.

Meanwhile, after the public outcry over the traffic situation it has been decided to seek a second opinion on the structural report and evaluate if one lane can be used for pedestrians, auto rickshaws and two wheelers by giving some external support subject to structural clearance. The decision on this is expected in one week. 

Political intervention leads to concrete decision

After the closure of Gokhale bridge both the agencies were passing the back on who will demolish the railway portion of it. Finally, after a political intervention the solution came on Friday, while the BMC will initiate a tender process for reconstruction of the bridge immediately on Saturday. The decision was taken in a meeting held at Mantralaya by Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Guardian Minister of Mumbai suburbs, MLA Ameet Satam, BMC and traffic authorities. "It was decided in the meeting that the railways will carry out the demolition works, while the BMC will reconstruct it," confirmed MLA Ameet Satam. 

He also said that, "Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister, had a discussion with union minister Ashvini Vaishnav on this issue on Friday, and it was decided that all the agencies will be working on this project together. BMC has announced closure of the bridge based on their structural report. But now it has been decided that a second opinion will be taken on the structural report from the railways and traffic department. Also the possibility will be evaluated if one lane of this bridge could be reopened temporarily for pedestrians, autorickshaws and two-wheelers, till the time it is being demolished entirely, by providing an external support, which is also subject to structural clearance". To evaluate this a visit of the construction site has been arranged on Tuesday.

"Railways will initiate tender for demolition of the existing bridge and get the work completed latest by end of February. Simultaneously,  reconstruction and making of precast material of the new bridge will start by March next year. While the BMC will start work on assembly of pre-cast material on site and complete work by end May 2023. It is targeted to start single lane going and coming off the bridge in June." added Satam. Additional municipal commissioner P. Velrasu said " We will float tenders for the reconstruction of the ROB on Saturday and we will open two lanes by May 2023."

"In the meeting held at Mantralaya chaired by M PLodha, it has been agreed by WR that demolition of Railway portion of old GokhaleROB at Andheri will be carried out by WR and 1st north lane carriageway will be demolished by March 15, 2023 and the south lane carriageway will be demolished after the north lane is constructed and opened for traffic. Tender for construction of complete ROB (i.e. Railway portion as well as Approaches) will be floated by BMC on November 12, 2022", said spokesperson of WR.