Mumbai: As the metropolis of Mumbai swelters under an intense heatwave, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to postpone the installation of the girder for the 'bow-string' bridge connecting the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) with the Mumbai Coastal Road by one week.
The mercury in Mumbai has soared beyond 37 degrees Celsius, prompting officials to exercise caution. A severe heatwave warning was issued by the weather bureau from April 16 to 18, coinciding with a record-breaking temperature of 39.7 degrees Celsius on April 16, the highest in over a decade.
The installation of this crucial girder signifies the completion of the initial phase of the Rs 13,000-crore Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP), establishing a 10.58-km-long high-speed corridor from the BWSL to Marine Drive.
Originally scheduled for April 18-19, the launch has been rescheduled to around April 25-26 due to prevailing weather conditions. These girders, prefabricated structures, are being transported from Nhava Jetty in Navi Mumbai to the launch site in Worli, anchored on a barrage in the Arabian Sea. The launch itself will occur over water due to the unavailability of adequate land at the site.
BMC Official stated, "Given the extreme weather conditions, with heightened dust in the air and volatile wind and tidal patterns, safety concerns have prompted us to postpone the launch operation." Once weather conditions improve, the girders, already loaded and prepared, will depart for Mumbai.
The journey from Nhava Jetty to Worli will take a day, with the launch process expected to require a maximum of two additional days. Following the girder installation, efforts will commence to lay asphalt roads.
One of the primary challenges in executing this project is the shallow waters in Worli and the thin density of bedrock, which become visible during low tides.
Previously, contention arose between the fishing community, advocating for a 200-meter gap between bridge pillars for safe passage, and the BMC's recommendation of a 60-meter span.
Consequently, the BMC revised its plan, removing one pillar to accommodate wider navigation for boats. Unable to erect an additional pillar and with increased distance between existing mono-piles due to pillar removal, the civic body adopted the 'bow-string' girder bridge design.
These bridges feature spans held together by high-tension cords instead of traditional pillar supports. These cords create an arch-shaped girder, tightly securing the bridge ends to the surface.
Presently, the Coastal Road operates only between 8 am and 8 pm on weekdays for south-bound traffic, with officials targeting full operational status by the end of May.
