03 January,2025 09:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar
The Carnac Bunder bridge near Crawford Market, which is expected to be opened by the end of the year. Pic/Shadab Khan
A number of road overbridges above railway lines have been in the works for several years across the city and the suburbs. While the railway portions of some of these structures are ready, approaches on either side are to be completed. mid-day visited seven sites to learn the status of bridges, most of which have been delayed due to land acquisition issues, rampant encroachment or other problems.
The incomplete bridge at Diva railway station on Thursday
According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, some bridges have been delayed due to several reasons and unforeseen circumstances. For example, at Nahur, many utility lines, including MTNL cables and gas pipelines, had to be shifted while land is yet to be acquired at the Vidyavihar bridge site.
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The Carnac Bunder bridge near Crawford Market, which is expected to be opened by the end of the year. PIC/SHADAB KHAN
The BMC and the Railways launched the first girder of the bridge across railway lines in October 2024. Preparations are now on to launch the second girder. However, work on approaches is yet to be completed. The bridge is expected to open by the end of this year. Site visit: There was debris on either side of the bridge and preparations for launching the second girder were in process. It will still take time even for one lane to open.
The BMC has been constructing an east-west road overbridge at Vidyavihar station, which promises to boost local connectivity for vehicles between the Eastern Express Highway, Ghatkopar Mahul Road and the arterial LBS Road. The total length of the bridge is about 480 metres. According to the records, this connectivity was marked in the 1991 development plan of the BMC.
The Vidyavihar bridge, which seeks to boost east-west connectivity
The civic body prepared a plan for the bridge in 2016 and the construction work started in 2018. The placing of two 99.34-m steel girders across ten railway lines was completed two years ago. While the first up lane girder was placed in May 2023, the second was placed in November 2023. Work on the approaches of either side is still in progress as there have been land acquisition issues.
Site visit: Work was on at the west side of building foundations outside the railway station. The steel frames of the pier are under construction. In the east, no work was being carried out.
This road overbridge, which originally had four lanes, will get two new ones on either side, as per the plans. Girders over railway lines were laid in January 2023, but work on the approaches has been going on for two years. Officials said several utilities needed to be shifted. Work related to the approaches is now in the final stage and should be completed in a few weeks.
The Nahur road overbridge is a crucial feeder route as it links the proposed Goregaon-Mulund Link Road and LBS Marg in the west to Eastern Express Highway in the east over rail lines as well as Airoli junction across the Thane creek. The stretch over the rail lines at present is a narrow bottleneck prone to congestion.
Site visit: The approaches at either end were ready, and the gap between the approaches and the railway portion was being filled up and finished. The approaches are also yet to be paved. Once this is complete, the middle portion will be taken up.
Land acquisition issues and rehabilitation of project-affected people have delayed this project immensely. With the shutting down of a level crossing gate in 2011, Vikhroli residents lost east-west connectivity, necessitating the building of a bridge. In April 2024, girders over railway lines were placed, but work on approaches is still ongoing and will take a few more months to complete.
Site visit: A completed bridge frame, including approaches, was in place. The placing of steel plates over the approaches is in progress. The landing at the LBS Marg end is also under construction.
The foot overbridge connecting Pandit Paluskar Chowk and Girgaon Chowpatty, which lacks a landing
A bridge at Charni Road lacks a landing on the main road. BMC officials said they had appointed a contractor for general drawing. "There is a landing on railway premises. We have requested WR to construct a staircase and we will pay the cost of the work," an official said. A senior divisional official said, "A staircase was situated on BMC land.
As it was dismantled by the civic body, it has to be rebuilt by the BMC only and there is no communication on record of it asking Railways to do it. No permission is required for rebuilding the staircase." A joint survey was done last year wherein the BMC had requested Railways to build the staircase following which the latter asked the former to send a proposal. "No such proposal has been received," a WR official said.
The site of Diva bridge where no work seemed to be taking place
Work on the approaches of the Diva road overbridge has also been delayed by several years. The girders over railway lines for the bridge were placed as early as May 2023. However, there are problems constructing the approach road, especially on the west side as there are a number of buildings. The plan is to replace the level crossing, spanning all eight lines, at Diva station with a road over bridge. The crossing as of today remains one of the busiest pedestrian-heavy level crossing gates and opens about 35 times a day on an average.
Site visit: Absolutely no work was going on at either end of the bridge. Piers constructed in the west were mostly used for putting up political banners and flags and no pier was ready in the west where A few buildings needed to be brought down to make way for the approaches and landing.
The Gokhale bridge, which is expected to be completed in a few months' time
While the first girders over railway lines were launched in December 2023 and one lane each opened in January and September 2024, work on approaches to the second lane is still in progress and is expected to be completed before the monsoon sets in. There have been multiple deadlines since November 2022, when the bridge was closed and demolished. Once the work on the second lane approach is completed, the project will finally be finished.
Site visit: Both the girders had been moved over the rail lines and lowered. Other girders over Teli Gully Road are yet to be laid. The remaining works are in their final phase and are expected to be completed in a few months' time.
A BMC official told mid-day that most of the issues surrounding a bridge in Vikhroli have been resolved and the work is in final phases. Fabrication of girders is happening for the Carnac Bunder bridge and the deadline for the Gokhale bridge is April-end.
While calls and messages to Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar went unanswered, a senior BMC official, on the condition of anonymity, said there should be significant progress in terms of completion of bridges in 2025. "The Vikhroli and Gokhale bridges as well as the first phase of the Nahur bridge will be ready this year for sure."
According to a Thane Municipal Corporation official, work on land acquisition for the incomplete Diva bridge is still underway and the matter has also been raised with the urban development department. As of now, preparatory works like building side drains and walls are underway. The bridge takes a turn parallel to the railway lines in the west and will continue over the municipal school and the Gaodevi temple.
A senior railway official said, "Civic bodies push us to operate blocks in time and put the blame on railways for any delays. But now even after completing our work, and disturbing the schedule of lakhs of railway passengers in the process, nothing seems to have progressed. Bridge girders have been left hanging over railway tracks while land has not even been procured on either side. This is unfair and structurally bad for the bridge when it is ready."
