Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has clarified that the bend in the centre of the foot overbridge connecting the Tulsi Pipe Road and the Matunga Road railway station is a structural engineering joint, which is required for contraction or expansion for any structure — buildings, railway tracks, bridges, etc. Since Friday, photographs of and messages on the foot overbridge at Matunga Road railway station have been doing the rounds of social media, claiming the bridge has a shallow gap and appears to be caving in at the centre.
Sanjay Darade, chief engineer, bridges department, said, “The gap exists as the bridge contracts or expands as a result of the change in season — right now, from winter to summer. BMC engineers inspected the foot overbridge on Friday and Saturday and have declared the bridge to be safe for pedestrian movement.
The bridge needs ‘minor repairs’ and a proposal to this effect was placed before the standing committee, which has already approved it and work is scheduled to begin in the coming fortnight. After the collapse of the Himalaya foot overbridge on March 14, we had ordered a re-inspection and re-audit of the bridges, of which we have identified 18 bridges as dangerous, which must be demolished and reconstructed.”
Himalaya too had only needed ‘minor repairs’
The BMC had earlier claimed that the Himalaya foot overbridge only needed minor repairs. However, the bridge collapsed on March 14, killing six and injuring 31. “We don’t know who is circulating wrong messages with zoomed shots of the structural engineering joint, calling it a gap and spreading panic. Yes, initially the bridge was closed to pedestrians but was later opened as only minor repairs were required. It is safe for pedestrian movement,” said Sanjay Darade, chief engineer, bridges department.
