The long-awaited Delisle bridge will be fully inaugurated at 6 pm on November 23, bringing relief to South Mumbai citizens after five years of inconvenience. This will mark the laying of the foundation stone for the installation of two escalators on the bridge to enhance pedestrian convenience.
Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar and Skill Development Minister and Guardian Minister of Suburban Mumbai Mangal Prabhat Lodha will be the chief guest for the inauguration. MP Arvind Sawant and MLA Aditya Thackeray along with the BMC officials will also be invited for the inauguration ceremony.
Bridge to ease traffic between NM Joshi Marg to Ganpatrao Kadam Marg
This bridge, which was shut for traffic in 2018, will help for the smooth movement of traffic between NM Joshi Marg to Ganpatrao Kadam Marg of Lower Parel. The new bridge is wider than the old. Therefore, an additional lane constructed on both sides of the bridge will help vehicles to ply without any interruption. According to the BMC, four new staircases and two escalators will be installed on the bridge for the free movement of pedestrians. Moreover, free space below the bridge will also help pedestrians.
One arm of the bridge, which starts from the lower Parel West near railway station to NM Joshi marg was opened in June and another arm was opened for the public on September 18. Now, the last lane of the bridge will open today.
BMC tests bridge's capacity to carry load
Recently, BMC tested the load-carrying capacity of the bridge. Four loaded trucks weighing 25 tonnes were stationed on the bridge for 48 hours and later the engineers of the bridges department administration gave the green signal for the opening of the bridge.
Last week, a case was registered against Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray for trying to open this bridge without the permission of the BMC.
Timeline
- Following an IIT Bombay report, the bridge was shut down by the railways in 2018.
- The entire bridge underwent demolition in February 2019.
- Work on the bridge within the railway premises commenced in September 2019.
- In February 2020, BMC initiated its work on the bridge within its jurisdiction.
- June 2022 witnessed the railway launching its first girder for the bridge.
- The railway successfully launched the second girder for the bridge in October 2022.
