Mumbai: Finally, approach road to Gokhale bridge to be ready before monsoon

The site of the approach road

Three years on, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is yet to finish the approach road to Gokhale bridge. The road work, which was expected to be completed by September 2021, will be finished before the monsoon. The length of the stretch is around 300 metres. The BMC issued a work order for the construction of the road in March 2020 and the work was expected to be completed 18 months later. The BMC subsequently said it would be ready by April 2022.

A civic official claimed, "There were delays, mainly due to the pandemic. There were also changes in the design of the bridge." The official claimed that work on the BMC portion of the structure would be completed by June 2023. The civic body has started digging, in order to set up pillars on which girders will be placed over the railway track.

Also Read: Mumbai: Gokhale bridge lane won't be ready before monsoon

Work being carried out at the site of Gokhale bridge in Andheri, on Wednesday. Pics/Nimesh Dave

Meanwhile, local resident Dhaval Shah said, "The delay is due to lack of coordination between agencies. If all the bridge work had been started at once, the work would have been completed by now. Can the BMC give a 100 per cent guarantee that the bridge will be completed by November 2023? The BMC should at least make sure that the Andheri subway does not get flooded during the monsoon."

Another Andheri West resident Karan Jotwani said, "Part of the bridge collapsed in 2018. The BMC started work on the approach road in 2020. Why did they waste two years? We are going to suffer a lot during the monsoon. The BMC should ensure the subway doesn't get flooded during the rainy season."

BJP MLA Ameet Satam, meanwhile, wrote to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the delays. Satam requested the state government to intervene in the matter and ensure that the bridge is opened at the earliest.