Mumbai: Closed since March, the Currey Road Bridge is now open, but not without politicking

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has kept its word. Earlier this year, the MMRDA had told this newspaper that the Currey Road Bridge, officially known as Mahadev Palav Marg, will be re-opened in September, following a shutdown since March to allow for monorail construction

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has kept its word. Earlier this year, the MMRDA had told this newspaper that the Currey Road Bridge, officially known as Mahadev Palav Marg, will be re-opened in September, following a shutdown since March to allow for monorail construction.

However, both Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are claiming that it is their protests that persuaded the MMRDA to fulfill its promises in time for Ganesh Chaturthi. Thousands use the bridge to come towards Lalbaug and Parel where some of Mumbai’s popular Ganpati mandals are located.

The bridge had been opened to two-wheelers last year. For the second time in three years, the bridge came to a complete lockdown in March. The MMRDA intended to re-open the bridge after connecting the monorail from east to west that concluded on September 10.

Shiv Sena MLA, Ajay Chaudhari, has erected a banner on the bridge. “It was I and my party MP, Arvind Sawant, who got the bridge cleared.”

Sachin Ahir, Mumbai President of the NCP, said, “The Sena has now jumped to take credit. But, it is we who had met the MMRDA commissioner and requested him for a specific date for the opening.”

Laying both claims to rest, Dilip Kawatkar, Joint Project Director, MMRDA said, “We had promised that we will open the bridge in September, and we fulfilled it.”

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