The Carnac bridge in South Mumbai connecting P D'mello Road to Masjid Bunder will finally open for traffic movement on Thursday, with a new 'Sindoor', in the memory of Operation Sindoor carried after the Pahalgam attack.
The inauguration will be done at 10 am by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and both the Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Mumbai's Gaurdian ministers Ashish Shelar and MP Lodha, and assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar will also be present, along with BMC chief Bhushan Gagrani.
The Free Press Journal had launched a campaign demanding the government and to the bridge for traffic and questioning the delay in inauguration when the crucial South Mumbai connector was ready for a month. This newspaper was first to report on July 1 that the BMC administration is all set to throw open the bridge for traffic movement but was only waiting for a formal nod by the Chief Minister's office.
The FPJ had also reported on Monday, July 6 that the delay has been due to finalisation and administrative procedures to rename the bridge. Taking note of FPJ's campaign, MLA Amin Patel had raised the issue in the assembly session, while Shiv Sena UBT and MNS workers had also protested near Masjid Bunder demanding to open the bridge.
Finally, the BMC on Tuesday informed the media in its official statement that the Sindoor Bridge (formerly Carnac) will be inaugurated on Thursday. Additionally Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar under whose tenure the bridge was completed confirmed that the 'Sindoor' name given in memory of Operation Sindoor.
Speaking with the FPJ, local MP Arvind Sawant from Shiv Sena UBT slammed the government saying that it is playing with emotions of citizens by marketing sacrifices and renaming the bridge as 'Sindoor'. However, after much delay and protest by opposition, the government is finally opening the bridge, he said. Sawant said that he followed with the BMC Commissioner on Wednesday after which the statement was issued on inauguration date.
The 328 meter long bridge will ease traffic congestion at Mohammad Ali Road and CSMT. The 150 year old bridge was demolished in 2022 after it was found structurally weak and rebuilt at the cost of Rs 60 crore. However, delay in opening the bridge had angered the public.
Since a week, the bridge had taken a look of a war zone with hefty police security, a police van deploy 24/7 at the entrances and additional flower pots and barracucades to prevent public or demonstrates to enter the bridge.
