Mumbai: Chaos alert as BMC shuts old bridges in Juhu and Oshiwara

While alternatives have been planned, they may not suffice, Mumbai civic activists fear; bridges shut for repairs after re-audit

Heavy traffic and jams continue to hassle commuters in the western suburbs as the BMC on Monday night shut another important connector at SV Road over the Oshiwara nullah in Jogeshwari. The bridge connects Jogeshwari to Goregaon and further the northern suburbs. Commuters will now be diverted on to Link road, which is already a traffic nightmare owing to the Metro Line IIA (Dahisar to DN Nagar) construction work.

The civic body had earlier shut the bridge near the Guzderbandh junction on Juhu Tara Road. An alternative road through the SNDT College campus has, however, been thrown open here for vehicular traffic now from 7 am to 7 pm.

Bridge over the Oshiwara nullah in Jogeshwari, that will be shut for repairs, sees heavy vehicular traffic through the day,

The SNDT route might help curtail jams. Two female constables would be guarding this road though since SNDT is a women's college and around 300 hundred women live in the hostel here.

The SNDT route will start on Juhu Tara road and end at SB Patil road, aiding commuters travelling towards Raheja College, Bandra. Local corporators had earlier pointed out how the connector bridge needed repairs before monsoon since SV road too gets flooded during the season.

Civic activists, however, have pointed that traffic actually increases post 7 pm, and the alternative provision might not help much. Zoru Bathena, an activist and environmentalist, wrote on social media: "The alternative road for Juhu, through SNDT College campus, has finally opened up for cars, bikes and autos but only from 7 am to 7 pm, which might not be helpful.

"Do hope some arrangement is also made soon for the majority public who use BEST buses every day. Nearly 500 BEST trips are made daily on Route 231 from Santacruz station to Juhu Church. Do hope our authorities will spare a thought for the BEST bus commuters too," he added.

The Oshiwara nullah passes across the crucial S V Road in the city's western suburbs

A senior civic official said that the college authorities had certain apprehensions about keeping the road open 24*7. "Post 7 pm, commuters will have to take Relief Road to reach SV Road near Milan Subway," he added.

Not all weak bridges shut

After the CSMT bridge collapse in March, the BMC had ordered a re-audit of bridges in the eastern and western suburbs as the previous consultant's reports did not exactly state the problems with them. The Municipal Commissioner had instructed officials to shut all the dilapidated bridges (around 29) before May 31 but owing to delays in procuring traffic permissions, a few are still functional.

The alternative SNDT campus route to the Juhu Tara road

Prashant Gaikwad, assistant municipal commissioner, K West ward, said, "The Oshiwara bridge will be shut for traffic after the evening peak hours and the SNDT road has begun to give relief to commuters."

29
No. of dilapidated structures BMC was supposed to pull down

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