Mumbai: After extending the deadline for record six times, the BMC is finally all set to open one arm of Andheri's Gokhale bridge on February 25. However, the locals fear that the civic body will again not be able to keep its word and open the entire bridge before monsoon as phase 2 works are pending.
The BMC completed concreting the bridge last month, but other works like lighting, signage, lane marking need to be completed for partial opening in a given time. To ensure that the civic body does not push the deadline again, once bitten, twice shy residents are regularly reviewing the work progress. To up the ante, they are also sending letters to the BMC, “reminding” them about the deadline.
In the second follow-up letter, the residents raised the issue of the unfinished work of alignment with the Barfiwala bridge. They also mentioned that the girder for the second phase hasn't arrived yet despite the assurance to completely open the bridge before monsoon. The first girder of the crucial east-west connector was launched on the intervening night of December 2 and 3. The second girder was expected to arrive in Mumbai in mid of February.
Concerns arise over pending infrastructure works
Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association Founder Dhaval Shah said, “Given the prevailing situation of several phase 2 works pending, we don't think they will get completed before monsoon. Even girder parts also haven't come to the site yet. A seventh deadline will be needed to finish phase 2.” A senior civic official said, “The second girder is ready in the factory at Ambala and will arrive once we complete the work of the first girder. The work to launch the second one is expected to start in April. Our current priority is to complete the first phase of work,” said a senior civic official.
The bridge was shut for the public in November 2022 after being declared unsafe. The strike at a steel plant at Rourkela in May 2023 and flooding at an Ambala workshop further delayed the delivery of steel to Mumbai. The estimated project cost is Rs90 crore.
