Anantnag: The Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is mulling to inaugurate the highly anticipated Delisle Bridge for vehicular traffic on Diwali, which is just one month away. This decision comes in the wake of previous delays and missed deadlines by the civic body in completing the bridge. During the recent Ganeshotsav festival, the BMC hastily opened the left portion of the second arm, connecting Lower Parel with Currey Road.
The BMC opened one phase of the bridge on June 1, the arm of the bridge connecting GK Marg with NM Joshi Marg. The mid-July deadline for thebridge towards NM Joshi Marg was extended to August 15, which was further delayed to September. The work was delayed due to various reasons, including concrete curing, the strike of water tankers and a lack of steel supply this year. After a public outcry, the left portion of the second arm, connecting Lower Parel with Currey Road, was opened for vehicles on September 18, one day before Ganeshotsav. The civic body now plans to open the entire bridge by November.
Progress in work
“Asphalt work, surfacing, colouring is underway. We will have to get the bridge certified by the consultant before we entirely open it. Currently, we are working on concreting and ducting works on the right portion of the second arm of the bridge,” said a civic official of the bridges department.
P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects) said, “We have plans to open the Delisle bridge entirely close to Diwali.”
Sunil Shinde, MLC, Shiv Sena (UBT) said, “The bridge work is seen being carried out at a speed. We are hopeful that the BMC will keep its promise and open the entire bridge by next month.” The initial deadline for the reopening of the bridge was May 2022, which has been pushed three times till now.
Delisle Bridge is a crucial link between Lower Parel, Worli, Prabhadevi and Currey roads in the west and Byculla and other areas in the east. It was shut on July 24, 2018, after being declared unsafe by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay. Its closure has inconvenienced local residents and officegoers as traffic has been affected in the Parel, Dadar TT and Mahalaxmi areas for the last five years. The work on the bridge was jointly carried out by the Western Railway (WR) and the BMC. The contract for reconstructing the railway portion had been awarded for Rs87 crore in February 2019, and WR started work in November 2019. The civic body had awarded a contract of Rs138 crore for dismantling and rebuilding the approach roads in January 2020.
Pointers:
July 2018
Closed for pedestrians and traffic moment
February 2019 (Rs87 cr)
Contract for reconstructing the railway portion
Rs138 cr
Contract for dismantling and rebuilding approach roads in January 2020
May, December 2022 and May 31, this year
Missed deadlines to reopen the bridge
June 1
One arm of the bridge connecting GK Marg with NM Joshi Marg opened
September 18
Left portion of the second arm connecting Lower Parel with Currey Road opened
