Mumbai: On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the BMC launched the second girder of the Vidyavihar rail over bridge (ROB) – weighing 1,100 metric tonnes and measuring 100 metres in length and 9.5 metres in width – using the winch pulling technique. The railway undertook a mega block of three-and-a-half hours to facilitate the crucial task. According to the BMC, both the girders are the one of the longest in India, which have no pillar in between for support. The first girder was successfully launched by the BMC on May 27.
BMC Project and Services Director Sanjay Kaundinyapure said, “There is lack of space in between the railway track owing to which pillars can't be erected. Therefore, making such a huge girder and launching it successfully is critical work.” On the Central railway network, no ROB was constructed by the BMC after 1997 owing to the constraint of erecting pillars. The Mulund ROB was last to be built by the municipality, he added.
M/S AB Infrabuild Ltd, the civic contractor, deployed 12 engineers, one security guard, three inspectors and surveyors each, two foremen, electricians and winch operators each, and 70 workers for launching the girder. To monitor the work, the railway had appointed M/S Rights Ltd as technical advisor. Manoj Kotak, who represents the north-east constituency as the MP, was also present during the launch. He asked the civic body to finish the remaining work soon.
ROB to link Ramkrishna Chemburkar Road and the LBS Road on the west side
Pegged at a cost of ₹178 crore, the Vidjyavihar ROB will link the Ramkrishna Chemburkar Road and the LBS Road on the west side. As per the civic officials, 90% work coming under the railway jurisdiction has been completed and the bridge is likely to open by December 2024. The ROB's total length of the bridge is 630 metres;100 metres come under the railway, 220 metres fall on the east side while the remaining 310 metres is on the west side of Vidyavihar.
The project was mooted 2016 and the work order was issued on May 2, 2018. The aim was to finish the work in 2022, but the railway had suggested changes in the planning, which pushed the deadline further. Increasing the width of the storm water drain, shifting of railway ticket windows and clearing encroachment are some of the challenges before the BMC to build the ROB.
