Commuters question civic body’s handling of issue and future repair plans as bridge condition deteriorates
The broken tiles were stored in bags on the foot overbridge
The loose tiles on the Charni Road foot overbridge (FOB) have been removed and stored in 13 debris bags on one side of the structure. Rebuilt in 2021 by the BMC, officials said the entire stretch will be repaired with new tiles. mid-day highlighted the issue on Sunday, August 4, raising questions about the BMC’s response and the bridge’s current state.
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The BMC rebuilt several skywalks and old bridges following the collapse of the Himalaya bridge at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in 2019. The FOBs on the east side of Charni Road station were among eight bridges declared dangerous. A FOB parallel to Charni Road station was partially rebuilt, along with two bridges at Marine Lines, using the same type of tiles. These tiles began popping up during the first monsoon season. After mid-day raised the issue of popped-up tiles on Marine Lines and Charni Road bridges in 2022, the BMC instructed the contractor to replace the tiles under the defect liability period (DLP), and work began in October 2023.
BMC officials claimed no extra costs were incurred for the work as it was under DLP. However, the BMC did not replace the tiles on the Charni Road bridge and instead patched it with cement. Now, after two years of rain, almost every tile is cracked, with many either popped up or broken. When mid-day visited the spot on Friday, it was observed that nearly every tile had either popped up or developed cracks. There were also a few loose tile pieces on the side of the FOB that could fall and injure someone. The broken tiles not only pose a risk to commuters but also endanger those walking on the road below.
The surface was uneven due to the removal of tiles, and gaps were filled with rainwater. The BMC official stated that all tiles would be repaired. “If the bridge is under DLP, then we will ask the contractor to replace them,” said Uttam Shrote, chief of the bridges department. He added that he did not know whether the bridge was still under DLP and what the solution would be if the DLP had expired.
“Why didn’t the BMC act last year? Why do they wait until someone raises the issue? Now, if the DLP has expired, who will bear the cost of replacing the tiles? Why does the BMC take taxpayers’ money for granted?” said Sanjeev Kale, a regular commuter.
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