Mumbai: Hancock Bridge’s second arm being built but first one still shut for traffic

Work on the second arm of the Hancock Bridge has started

While the second arm of the Hancock Bridge is slowly taking shape over the railway lines near Sandhurst Road, the first one is yet to be opened to traffic as the process is stuck due to a number of issues. Expressing concern over the delay in demolition and reconstruction work of bridges in South Mumbai, an activist said that this would paralyse this part of the city.

Activist Kamlakar Shenoy, who has been fighting for early completion of the Hancock Bridge, said that a number of bridges in the area were set to be demolished and rebuilt, and this would lead to a difficult situation.

"The first arm of the Hancock Bridge has been placed and a pedestrian foot-over-bridge passing over it has been opened, but the main bridge still remains closed for traffic as preparatory work on either side is pending due to want of approval for proper approaches," Shenoy said.

"The new bridge is quite high and requires a proper slope on both sides for which approaches need to be built. To get this done, proper space is required and even utilities on either side need to be shifted. The work is still stuck and no mapping of the area is available," he added.

"Bridges in South Mumbai are just not taken care of and if they are demolished for reconstruction, then this part may get cut off from the rest of the city. There needs to be a proper plan in place for such kind of work," he added.

The Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have signed a deal for the construction of 11 road-over-bridges (ROBs) and one road-under-bridge. The MRIDC will also construct iconic structures on the old ROBs across the city.

However, the MRIDC assured that care would be taken about the traffic patterns. "The MRIDC will take care of traffic movement and it won't be disturbed during the initial period of work. We will also consider all the works under progress while planning something new," said Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, managing director, MRIDC.