Citing that the opening of the Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge has been delayed several times, fuming residents sought Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's intervention to ensure timely completion of the bridge construction. A key connector between Andheri east and west, the bridge was shut down in November 2022, after it was declared unsafe following an audit.
After multiple deadline extensions, the BMC had assured to open at least one carriageway of the bridge in Diwali. However, the civic body has failed to complete the work in time, pushing the deadline to February 15 next year.
'Frustration and stress among residents are palpable'
A year has passed, but the crucial link is yet to be opened, leaving commuters to reel under traffic jams daily. Around 450 residents, who have formed the 'Gokhale Bridge ASAP' group, on Tuesday sent a letter to Shinde. It read, “The impact of this closure resonates deeply, affecting lakhs of residents on both the eastern and western sides of the city. Our daily lives have been marred by incessant traffic jams, causing substantial delays in commute times. The resulting frustration and stress among residents are palpable, leading to a significant decline in overall well-being.”
The environment, too, bears the brunt of this situation as the prolonged traffic snarls contribute to increased CO2 pollution. Parents face an additional burden as they navigate these cumbersome alternate routes while ensuring their children reach school on time, the letter asserted. It appealed to Shinde to “alleviate the struggles faced by residents on a daily basis”.
'We suspect new deadline will be extended'
Dhaval Shah, President of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association said, “At the time when the bridge was shut, we had requested to construct it with the help of the Indian Army who had built the foot over bridge in Parel in record time. Our fear has come true with the fourth extension of the deadline for the opening of Gokhale bridge. We suspect the new deadline will also get extended, so we want the chief minister to intervene.”
