Crack on Bhiwandi flyover, panic rules

Chunks of concrete fell from the Rajiv Gandhi flyover at Bhiwandi on Wednesday morning, leading to widespread panic. Luckily, the chunks did not hit anyone as it was not peak hour.

The incident has come close on the heels of the Andheri overbridge incident. A local traffic police officer said, “A portion of the bridge developed a crack and debris began to seep through the cavity. The traffic came to a halt and, later, the bridge was closed down for repairs.

Incidentally, the bridge was shut down four days ago for potholes repairs. It was opened to traffic on Tuesday.

Snaps of the spot did the rounds on social media which showed an iron rod clearly jutting out from where the chunks had fallen.

Ananta Patil, who was walking under the flyover, said, "I was going to market at around 9am. I was in the Teen Batti area under the bridge when some chunks fell down. I ran from the spot and so did another passerby.’’

Atul Vishwakarma, a teenager who resides near Vanjarpatti naka, said, "I was in a toilet located in the under-pass when I heard someone shout that the bridge was going to collapse. I immediately ran out and got away from the place. Later, when I saw the slab, I realised what a close shave I had. The news of the bridge collapse in Kolkata, too, played on my mind.”

Manohar Hire, Commissioner from Bhiwandi Nizampura Municipal Corporation said a team had rushed to the spot and inspect it. The repairs will be undertaken immediately but the structural audit will have to wait.

The less than one km Rajiv Gandhi flyover was built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority in 2006. It will re-open to traffic shortly.