Thane: Cadbury junction flyover to remain open during the repairs

Officials say the expansion joints and ball bearings of the flyover are fine and the repairs of the cracks will not cause any problem to vehicular movement. File pic

The recent foot overbridge and bridge collapse incidents in the city have sent alarm bells ringing in the administration. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for instance, does not want to take any chances, and will fix the cracks that have developed in the Nitin Company-Cadbury junction flyover in Thane over the next few months. Officials told mid-day that there is no threat to the structure of the bridge, but added that they are wasting no time to ensure the cracks are repaired.

MSRDC Chief Engineer Anilkumar Gaikwad said, "IIT-Bombay had carried out a structural audit of the flyover and submitted a report along with some recommendations. It states that there are cracks in some places. These will be repaired in the coming months."

The MSRDC also wants to repair the Sion Circle flyover, but this is delayed. File pic

Also read: Mumbai: Traffic hit on Juhu Tara road as another dangerous bridge shut

Interestingly, when asked if the flyover, constructed in 1999, will be shut for traffic while carrying out the repair, work, Gaikwad said, "There is no need to shut it as the repair work will be carried out below it." The 1.5-km long flyover on the Eastern Express Highway is one of the oldest arterial flyovers in Thane. Motorists can go from Mumbai towards Nashik, and come from Nashik and Ghodbunder bypassing the traffic below. During peak hours, the flyover saves at least 10-15 minutes.

On June 3, MSRDC invited a tender to repair and strengthen the structural elements of the Nitin-Cadbury flyover, and interested contractors or bidders will have to submit the tenders by June 11. Officials from MSRDC told mid-day that the repairs will go on for around six months.

Officials from MSRDC also told mid-day that the expansion joints and ball bearings of the flyover are fine and the repairs will not cause any problem to vehicular movement. They clarified that there is no threat to the structure of the bridge.

Also read: Mumbai: BMC shuts two crucial foot overbridges at King's Circle

Sion flyover
MSRDC will also carry out the repair work of the Sion circle flyover. mid-day had reported that the repairs will start in the first or second week of June. However, MSRDC officials told mid-day that they will be delayed. "The ball bearings of the flyover, which will be replaced, are being manufactured, and once the contractor procures them, we will talk to the traffic police department and finalise the date to close the flyover entirely," an engineer from MSRDC said.

The flyover has already been closed for the heavy vehicles.

'Shutting of bridges causing major chaos'
Corporators have raised a question over the closure of bridges in the city as it has become a cause of traffic chaos everywhere. They have demanded that the 'appointment of consultants' concept should be completely stopped and inspections should be carried out by in-house engineers only. After the CSMT bridge collapse, BMC had ordered re-audits of bridges as the previous consultant had been unable to correctly gauge the problems to the structure. Following this, officials shut all dilapidated bridges before May 31, although a few still remain to be shut. The corporators pointed out that there is no check or accountability in these consultant reports and were taken at face value. If engineers did the audit then responsibility could be assigned. Asif Zakaria, Congress corporator, said, "The bridges are being shut without proper planning. It is causing traffic havoc everywhere." Yashwant Jadhav, standing committee chairman, said, "The bridges department needs to give the standing committee the status of the bridges and also submit its alternative plan for shutting these bridges."

Also read: A disaster waiting to happen: 'Dangerous' Dombivli bridge to remain open for public

1999
When the Nitin Company-Cad-bury junction flyover was built

1.5 km
The length of the flyover on the Eastern Express Highway

Six
No. of months the repairs will go on

40k
No. of vehicles that use the flyover every day

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