Mumbai: New Frere Road bridge to be 80 cm higher

The girders were metalised and stainless steel reinforcement has been used in concrete to provide enhanced durability, the WR CPRO said

The crucial link of Frere Road Bridge over the rail lines that connects Lamington Road and Nana Chowk, was put in place in a challenging mega operation on Monday night. It was also raised by 80 cm with a tapered design made in special grade steel with wider roads and walkways.

Western Railway teams, in the six-hour work block, launched eight 25 mts-long steel girders across tracks. The estimated cost of the entire project is '9.60 crore.

"It was a challenge. The key point was of maintaining the level of the bridge so that it syncs with the approach roads on either sides without raising the height too much, but at the same time giving an increased overhead clearance to trains passing below. We took up the design challenge with tapered girders that needed minimal raising road level of about 80 cm. This will now pave the way for early restoration of the road by BMC," Western Railway chief public relations officer Sumit Thakur said.

WR teams at work, launching the girders over the tracks

"Special grade steel (E 450) was used for girder fabrication to provide increased strength and service life. The girders were metalized and stainless steel reinforcement has been used in concrete to provide enhanced durability looking at the corrosive environment of Mumbai. The girders were fabricated at Palghar," he said.

Keeping the future increase in traffic in mind, the new bridge has two separate carriage ways with a divider in between, and two pedestrian walkways. The road width has also been increased to 17.50 m from 16.78 m. Western Railway intends to complete its portion of work by end of September. The approach road is being built by the BMC.

Built in 1921, the British-era bridge had a very complex structure with 350 sqm of concrete slab supported on 10 16-m-long tertiary girders, 14 secondary girders of 25m length and 10 cross girders of 16m length. This was supported by two main girders of 25m length, having a total weight of 220 metric tonnes.

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