Mumbai: The BMC has invited zone-wise tenders for repairs of bridges across the city, after an activist raised an objection to a single tender process. The civic authorities have floated a tender worth ₹85 crores for repairs of bridges in the western suburbs since June.
Also, a separate tender of ₹14 crores was invited for repair work on bridges in Kandivali and Dahisar on August 14.
BMC to conduct structural audit of bridges atleast twice a year
The BMC has decided to conduct structural audits of bridges twice a year. After an audit this year, the civic body undertook structural repair works on several bridges across Mumbai. However, earlier it was decided to float a single tender for the repair work of all bridges. "By floating a single tender the BMC will create a monopoly of one contractor for repairs of around 200 bridges," said Kamlakar Shenoy, an RTI activist. He raised the issue by writing a letter to the Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on June 9.
After the correspondence, P. Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects) instructed through a remark in the letter to float separate tenders on June 20. "We have approved, for zone-wise repair tenders," he confirmed. The BMC will be spending ₹38 crore on repairing of bridges in the eastern suburbs. The repair work also includes skywalks, and remaining bridges in the island city.
BMC's bridge repair work plan
The work includes filling works, strengthening the girders and replacing parts that have been worn out, removal of rust from some of the steel bridges etc, said a civic official. The BMC directed an audit of all bridges in the city following the incident of Gokhale Bridge at Andheri, which collapsed in 2018, and the Himalaya Bridge at CSMT collapsed in 2019. The BMC is responsible for the maintenance of 344 bridges, including skywalks, roads and railway over bridges.
