Mumbai: The alignment work between Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge with the adjoining CD Barfiwala flyover in Andheri is expected to cost an additional Rs.10 crore. Taking serious note of this, the civic authorities have decided to inquire into the matter which brought shame to the municipal corporation.
Challenges And Solutions In Gokhale Bridge Alignment
The one arm of the newly constructed east-west connector, Andheri's Gokhale Bridge, was opened on February 26. However, due to the height gap of nearly six feet between the Gokhale and Barfiwala flyover, the motorists are facing inconvenience. After facing severe criticism for the blunder, the BMC undertook the alignment work of both the structures from April 14.
The work is carried out under the supervision of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT- B) and Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI). Meanwhile, the administration is worried that they would have to give reasons for the extra expenditure incurred for the alignment work during the audit. So, the civic authorities will check into the reasons as to why the misalignment went unnoticed for such a long period of time?
Municipal Commissioner And Activist Raise Concerns Over Gokhale Bridge Alignment
When asked about it, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said, "We will be inquiring into the matter and the action will depend on the findings." Zoru Bhathena, an activist, has written a letter to Gagrani requesting him to designate one senior official for day to day monitoring of work related to Gokhale bridge. "No work has started on the second side of Gokhale bridge. Also, no planning has been done on how Gokhale Bridge's south arm will connect to Barfiwala south arm," stated Bhathena in his letter.
The civic authorities had approached VJTI, who in their report recommended merging the two bridges by raising four spans. While, IIT - Bombay suggested some modifications in VJTI's report and suggested aligning the two structures by raising even two spans. To avoid any delay in work, the civic body has alloted the alignment work to the existing contractor working on the reconstruction of Gokhale Bridge. The work is expected to be completed by June. The second phase of work on Gokhale Bridge is targeted to be completed by December 2024.
