Soon, Mumbai’s Princess Street flyover will be shut for repairs | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Soon, Mumbai’s Princess Street flyover will be shut for repairs

Mumbai | ByMehul R Thakkar
Sep 14, 2019 01:11 AM IST

On Wednesday morning, a truck rammed into one of the pillars of Reay Road bridge, following which the BMC shut the bridge near Sewri.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to shut traffic movement on the Princess Street flyover, which connects Marine Lines to Marine Drive, in order to carry out repair work. In a related development, the Reay Road bridge will remain closed for another 10 days, also for repairs. Earlier this week, a truck had rammed into one of the bridge’s pillars and caused extreme damage.

For more than a month, repair work has been ongoing below the Princess Street flyover, which is more than 50 years old.(HT image)
For more than a month, repair work has been ongoing below the Princess Street flyover, which is more than 50 years old.(HT image)

For more than a month, repair work has been ongoing below the Princess Street flyover, which is more than 50 years old. A BMC official from bridges department said, “We are going to ask the traffic police to shut the service roads beside the start of Princess Street flyover at the Marine Lines end. This closure is to ensure smooth repair works are carried out below the flyover.”

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Repair work is also planned on the flyover. “By next month, we should start repair work above that may include changing the expansion joints. Due to this, the flyover may have to be shut completely. Earlier, we were contemplating shutting the flyover partially, but considering it is very narrow, we will have to shut it fully,” said the official.

On Wednesday morning, a truck rammed into one of the pillars of Reay Road bridge, following which the BMC shut the bridge near Sewri. The same day, the civic body directed structural auditor Structwell to inspect the damage to Reay Road bridge, which runs over the Harbour railway line, Barrister Nath Pai road and a Mumbai Port Trust road. Structwell suggested replacing the column.

Repair work started on Friday. The bridge, which connects the east and west sides of Reay Road railway station, will remain shut for at least 10 days along with Barrister Nath Pai Road. An official from the bridges department said, “We have started the work on war footing on Friday and it will take at least 10 days for the work to be completed.” Encroachments below and on the bridge are expected to be cleared and “major repair work” will be carried out on the bridge, said the official.

Meanwhile, the BMC said Byculla police has booked the truck driver for rash driving but the civic body will write to the police to book the driver for endangering lives of the public. A BMC official said, “It was due to rash driving hundreds of lives had come under danger, and the truck driver should be booked for the same under relevant sections, and not just for rash driving.”

After the monsoon, the BMC also plans to partially shut traffic movement on the Kemps Corner flyover to change its expansion joints. The flyover is India’s first flyover and was opened to the public in 1965. A few years later, Princess Street flyover was opened the public.

Against the backdrop of Himalaya foot overbridge (FOB) collapse at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in March 2019, the BMC had ordered to re-audit 296 bridges. Seven people were killed in the incident. Last month, Structwell was appointed structural auditor and asked to re-audit all bridges in the island city since the Himalaya FOB had been categorised as safe by an earlier audit.

The BMC is also carrying out an audit of all the skywalks in the city to gauge their structural stability. This decision was made after a portion of the Bandra skywalk fell on pedestrian, resulting in injury.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On