BMC to re-audit 38 bridges in Mumbai

The action comes after the collapse of the FOB at CSMT

The BMC will re-audit 38 bridges audited by DD Desai. The structural auditor has been blamed in the inquiry for faulty audits, following the CSMT foot overbridge (FOB) collapse that killed six people and injured 31 others.

The BMC has floated a short-term tender where a consultant will be appointed in seven days and asked to do the work within a month's time. However, the Standing Committee has rejected a proposal for minor repairs of 16 other bridges and three subways, citing the model code of conduct.

A proposal for minor repairs worth R13.86 crore was tabled in the Standing Committee. According to it, 16 prominent bridges like the Grant Road railway bridge, Opera House bridge, Princess Street FOB, Diana Bridge, Eastern Freeway, and subways at Churchgate, CSMT and Haji Ali need minor repairs. However, on Wednesday, the Standing Committee headed by the Shiv Sena, refused to approve the proposal.

While Standing Committee chairman Yashvant Jadhav rejected the proposal saying that it could not be passed as the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections is in place, the civic administration felt by procuring special permission from the Election Commission after mentioning the CSMT FOB collapse, it could have been relaxed. The Sena's move could delay the much-needed repairs, pending since the structural audit report, also by Desai, was submitted last year in September.

A senior civic official said, "While the Sena cited the model code of conduct to stall the minor repairs, opposition doubted the work by Desai on these bridges. But a short-term tender for re-auditing the other 38 bridges was floated and new auditors will be appointed for this."

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