Officials seek second opinion on audit report

MUMBAI: Barely a few days after authorities closed down Andheri’s Gokhale Bridge to vehicular traffic, officials involved in the decision have decided to seek a second opinion on the September 23 structural audit report of the Railways.

A high-level meeting held between officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Western Railway and Mumbai Traffic Police with guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Friday, it was being evaluated if one lane could be used for pedestrians, autorickshaws and two wheelers by giving external support to the bridge, subject to structural audit clearance. A decision for the same is expected in eight days.

The BMC will also float a tender on Saturday for reconstruction, and making pre-cast material for the new bridge will start simultaneously, while the bridge is being demolished.

P Velarusu, additional municipal commissioner (projects), confirmed the two developments with HT. The meeting held at the Mantralaya was at the request of local MLA Ameet Satam to execute and implement measures for expedition of Gokhale Bridge work.

In the same meeting, Western Railway also agreed to demolish the railway portion of old Gokhale road-over-bridge.

“This will be followed by

BMC workers take up repair work of Gokhale Bridge in Andheri. demolition of first north lane carriageway by March 15, 2023. The south lane carriageway will be demolished after the north lane is constructed and opened to traffic. The tender that will be floated by the BMC on Saturday for construction of complete Gokhale ROB includes the railway portion as well,” read a statement released by WR.

In addition to that, Satam said, “In March, BMC will start work on assembly of pre-cast material on the site and complete work by May end. It is also aiming to open a single lane for to and fro movement on the bridge in June.”

On Thursday, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke with railway minister Ashwini Vaishnav requesting fast expedition of Gokhale Bridge work.

In a letter to the railway minister, Satam requested the demolition and reconstruction work be handed over to the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), which is known for reconstructing a bridge in Valsad in 20 days.