The repair work on the Love Grove flyover in Worli has been delayed for the last two months due to a lack of traffic police permission.
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) which is responsible for this flyover maintenance and repair work has written to the joint commissioner of police (traffic) on March 28, seeking permission.
A second letter was sent on May 13 to the traffic police alerting them that the repair work will be carried out between May 20 and 29. However, the work hasn't progressed due to no support by the traffic police, said an MSRDC official requesting anonymity.
A copy of the letter seeking permission from the joint traffic police commissioner is in possession of the Free Press Journal. According to the MSRDC, they have received complaints from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about the leakage, following which the repair work was planned.
According to the official the Love Grove flyover cannot be kept partially, which the traffic police is insisting on. “It is just a 6.5 metrewide road having hardly two lanes. Therefore, with machinery and equipment placed on the flyover while carrying out repairs, traffic cannot move,” said the official. Recently, painting and beautification work has been carried out at thr location with mural designs below the flyover structure. If the leakage continues, especially during the monsoons, the beautification work will get ruined.
Thus, the MSRDC wants to complete the work before the onset of the monsoons. The MSRDC had sought 10 days of closure of the flyover to complete the expansion joint replacement work. Earlier the MSRDC had carried out cement wearing force work on the flyover. However, the expansion joints usually get pushed below during this work. There are only 6 to 7 expansion joints on the Love Grove flyover.
The official further added that the Love Grove flyover caters only light motor vehicles since it is not big. Moreover, only a little over three lanes from the sides of the flyover is available. If the flyover is closed for repair work it won't affect the traffic movement largely. “We have conveyed this to the traffic police but they are inclined to carry out the work only after the monsoons,” the official claimed.
