Mumbai: In a recent joint meeting involving experts from IIT Bombay, Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), and BMC officials, discussions were centred on aligning Andheri's Gokhale bridge with the CD Barfiwala flyover. According to a Times Of India report, IIT-B has given the green light to VJTI's recommendation of merging the two structures, as outlined in their report submitted to the civic body.
Minor Modification In VJTI's Plan
However, a slight modification was proposed: instead of lifting all four spans of the Barfiwala flyover simultaneously to merge with the Gokhale bridge, each span would be lifted individually, said a TOI report quoting an official.
The meeting, held at IIT-B on Wednesday, aimed to validate VJTI's report by seeking input from another reputable agency. This move was aligned with massive criticism faced by BMC due to the misalignment between the newly built bridge and the flyover, resulting in a six-foot gap between them.
BMC Seeks Nod From ECI
BMC also plans to seek approval from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to proceed with the merger works, as the model code of conduct for elections prohibits tendering except in emergencies. The alignment work is estimated to cost Rs 8 crore for both arms.
Meanwhile, local MLA Ameet Satam wrote to the newly appointed municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, requesting him to take special permission from the Election Commissioner to execute this work. “The said project is an emergency affecting lakhs of commuters,” he said.
VJTI Suggests Elevating Flyover Using Jacks
VJTI had proposed specialised engineering techniques to align the CD Barfiwala flyover with the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge. The institute has proposed elevating its slabs using jacks.
Interestingly, VJTI's recent report suggested that the Barfiwala flyover is structurally sound and should not be demolished. Instead, the institute recommends elevating its slabs using jacks. According to the report, merging the north side of the Barfiwala flyover with the Gokhale bridge is expected to take around 90 days once the project commences.
