BMC issues tender for construction of Carnac Bunder Bridge

It will take 12 months to construct the approaches at a cost of ₹52 crore, officers of the bridges department, BMC, said, adding that the process of making the girder over the railway track has already begun, and some of the parts of the bridge have already reached the eastern side of the flyover

Mumbai: Nearly a year after the demolition of the 150-year-old Carnac Bunder Bridge, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued a tender last week to construct the approaches of the structure. The dilapidated bridge was demolished on November 20 last year.

In February this year, HT reported that the civic body is unlikely to meet the 19-month deadline for reconstructing the Carnac Bunder Bridge. However, P Velarasu, additional municipal commissioner (project), BMC, said that the construction work is going on as per schedule (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

It will take 12 months to construct the approaches at a cost of ₹52 crore, officers of the bridges department, BMC, said, adding that the process of making the girder over the railway track has already begun, and some of the parts of the bridge have already reached the eastern side of the flyover.

A senior engineer of the bridges department said, “We will take a month to finalise the tenders for the approaches, and the contractor will have to complete the work in 12 months. The full girder is being manufactured in a factory, and we will also ask the railways to give us a block to install it. There is an illegal gym, a temple and around 10 unauthorised centres on either side of the bridge. We have given alternate space to the temple, and the gym has to vacate the area as soon as possible.”

In February this year, HT reported that the civic body is unlikely to meet the 19-month deadline for reconstructing the Carnac Bunder Bridge. However, P Velarasu, additional municipal commissioner (project), BMC, said that the construction work is going on as per schedule.

“We have invited the tenders. The fabricated span materials have arrived on the site, and BMC will monitor the progress of the work tightly and complete the work on schedule,” he added,

Mumbadevi MLA Amin Patel alleged that the delay in the construction work is due to the lack of coordination between the railways and BMC. Pointing out the delay of Hancock Bridge, where two lanes still cannot be used, he said, “The same must not happen to Carnac Bridge as it connects P D Mello Road with Mohammed Ali Road and Crawford Market. Many people depend on this bridge to connect with the Eastern Freeway.”

Meanwhile, the delay is also causing massive traffic jams in the area.

A traffic police officer said, “The delay is also causing immense hardships to our senior officers who have to access the commissionerate which is located at Crawford Market. It is also causing traffic jams in the CSMT area.’’

Apart from the Carnac Bunder Bridge, the bridges department received strong criticism from many political parties for delays in the Delisle Road flyover, Gokhale Bridge, and Vikhroli flyover.