49 -years-old Thane Creek Bridge (TCB) -1 connecting Navi Mumbai to Mumbai will be inspected through a submersible remotely operated vehicle commonly called an underwater robot. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation(MSRDC) that takes care of this bridge maintenance and repair work is looking for any agency to carry out the proposed work, said an official from MSRDC, who did not wish to be named.
The official explained, "Earlier no such underwater inspection was carried out neither manually nor using robots for the TCB-1 bridge which was put to public use 49 years ago. It will be the first such underwater inspection that will be done with advanced technology. The objective is to understand the structural stability of the piers of the bridge. If maintenance and repair required any, it will be carried out accordingly."
In fact, no bridge passing from the water body has ever been inspected through robot technology under MSRDC, asserted the official. "A decade ago divers did the underwater inspection of Bandra Worli sea link. The underwater robot inspection gives more clarity unlike the pictures and data collected by diverse. The TCB-1 bridge has a total of 42 piers(pillars)." The appointed contractor will be given 15 days to carry out the proposed survey at an estimated cost of Rs 1.50 crore, added the official.
According to an insider, an Indian company "Planys" has shown interest in the work. However, the MSRDC has floated the tender for this said work for the second time now.
The Thane Creek Bridge 1 was built in 1973. Later, TCB -2 was built in 1997 to cater for the rising traffic demand between the two cities Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. Now, MSRDC is constructing another new bridge; TCB-3, considering the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport. Larsen & Toubro is carrying out the TCB-3 project at a contract value of Rs 559 crore. Once ready, it will provide additional six lanes to the existing TCB 2, facilitating a smooth traffic movement and providing hassle-free connectivity between the twin cities. This new bridge is expected to be ready by 2023. Overall 10 per cent of project work attained so far, said the official.
