Lesson learnt from Andheri Gokhale Bridge: Traffic police want BMC to stick to their deadlines

The position of the second girder of Gokhale bridge at Andheri on November 17. File pic/Satej Shinde

After the Andheri Gokhale bridge experience, the traffic police are now ensuring the BMC commits to completing projects within stipulated timelines before granting a no-objection certificate (NOC).

BMC officials told mid-day, "While submitting project details for the NOC from the traffic police, we provide information about the project duration. In the past, the traffic police would grant NOCs after reviewing the traffic situation at the site and preparing a diversion plan. Now, they are specifically asking about the project timeline."

The official added, "We understand the traffic issues, but during the project, we face many challenges, as multiple authorities are involved in Mumbai. Issues like removing encroachments create ground-level hurdles."

Anil Kumbhare, joint police commissioner said, "We are asking them to complete the project within the timeline they have submitted."

The Andheri Gokhale bridge and the Vikhroli East-West connector are among the most delayed projects. The Gokhale bridge, originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2022, is now expected to be finished by May 2025. Initially, the BMC was responsible for constructing the approach to the bridge, with work starting in 2018 and an expected completion date of 2022. The Western Railway was tasked with constructing the portion of the bridge over the railway tracks. However, the entire project was later handed over to the BMC, with the new completion target set for March 2025.

Similarly, the Vikhroli East-West Connector project, which began in 2018 and was initially expected to be completed by 2020, has faced repeated delays. The BMC later revised the completion dates to 2023, then 2024, and now March 2025.

An official explained that in the Vikhroli bridge case, the project design was altered due to changes in railway guidelines.

Regarding the Gokhale bridge, the official said, "We have worked to complete the project within the timeline after taking it over. Two-way traffic on one section of the bridge has already started."

Traffic police officials noted that delays in the Gokhale bridge project created significant challenges for traffic management, particularly during the monsoon when the Andheri Subway frequently closed due to waterlogging. This led to severe congestion on the Western Express Highway, Eastern Express Highway, and internal roads in Vile Parle and Jogeshwari.

2022
Year Gokhale bridge was originally supposed to open