The alignment of Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge with CD Barfiwala flyover in Andheri will be open to motorists from next week. The lifting and aligning work carried out to cover the BMC's blunder of leaving a six-foot gap between both the structures was completed in two and half months. The alignment will also be known for the first of its type in public infrastructure project.
The misalignment between the two bridges came to light after the northern arm of Gokhale Bridge was opened for traffic on February 26. The BMC started the merger of the two bridges under the supervision of experts from the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) on April 14. The segment of the Barfiwala flyover was lifted 1,397 millimeters on one side and 650 millimeters on the other to align it with the Gokhale Bridge. "The BMC had spent Rs. 3 crores to match the level of the two bridges," said civic sources.
"The challenging task of lifting and aligning the segment of the Barfiwala flyover to the level of Gokhale bridge was carried out using hydraulic jacks and MS stool packing. High quality concrete was used to expedite the work. A rain-free period of six consecutive hours was crucial after completing the concrete work that was required for connecting both the flyovers. Since there was no rainfall for more than 12 hours in the area, the concreting and stitching work was carried out smoothly without interruption. The bridge will be ready to open in the next few days," said a senior civic official.
Once the bridge is opened, it will enable motorists traveling from Juhu towards Andheri East or Western Express Highway to use the road. Karan Jotwani, Co-founder of Lokhandwala and Oshiwara Citizens Association said,"We are happy that Barfiwala flyover rejoining work is over and this will reduce the traffic jams at SV road signal and allow smooth flow for thousands of commuters daily, saving time, energy and fuel. Lakhs of residents will benefit."
Meanwhile, the deadline to complete work on the southern arm has been deferred to November 15. So, the entire Gokhale Bridge, a key east-west connector in Andheri, will now likely open for traffic by March 31, 2025.
