7 years on, Gokhale bridge becomes fully operational; to enhance east-west connectivity in Andheri

7 years on, Gokhale bridge becomes fully operational; to enhance east-west connectivity in Andheri

Mumbai, The reconstructed Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge in Mumbai’s Andheri area became fully operational on Sunday, seven years after it was shut for vehicular traffic.

7 years on, Gokhale bridge becomes fully operational; to enhance east-west connectivity in Andheri

The overpass, popularly known as Gokhale bridge, is expected to enhance east-west connectivity in the western suburb, officials said.

Two persons were killed and three suffered injuries after a portion of the bridge, which runs over railway tracks, collapsed in 2018, prompting the authorities to close traffic on it and conduct a safety audit of all railway bridges in Mumbai.

The reconstruction project, which involved demolishing the old structure and building a new one, began in March 2021 with work on both approach roads. Construction over the railway tracks commenced in April 2023.

The first phase, allowing movement of light vehicles from west to east, was opened in February last year.

The project then ran into rough waters.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation was severely criticised after it emerged that the reconstructed bridge near Andheri station did not align with the north arm of the connecting Barfiwala flyover built over a decade ago. It also became a subject of intense politics.

The civic body subsequently engaged experts to lift a portion of the flyover to align it with the Gokhale bridge. The north arm of the Barfiwala Flyover was reopened in July 2024, and now, with the completion of the second phase, the entire Gokhale Bridge is fully operational.

Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar, who also serves as the guardian minister for the Mumbai Suburban district, inaugurated the bridge at a public function held on the overpass.

He called the Gokhale bridge a “unique example of engineering” due to the challenges faced during its construction.

As per BMC, the Barfiwala flyover’s north and south arms were lifted using jacks and aligned with the Gokhale bridge approach roads under the supervision of technical experts of Veermata Jijabai Institute of Technology and IIT Bombay.

BMC said the fully operational bridge will significantly improve the connectivity from the Western Express Highway in Andheri East to Swami Vivekanand Road in Andheri West via Teli Gully.

The bridge has a total length of 511 metres and a width of 27 metres, which includes pedestrian pathways on both sides and a 3 3 lane vehicular carriageway. The span over the railway tracks measures 90 metres.

Speaking at the event, BMC’s Additional Commissioner Abhijit Bangar said that two more bridges are expected to open within the next month. The Vikhroli east-west connector will open to traffic by May 31, followed by the Carnac Bridge in South Mumbai by June 10, he said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.