BMC to beautify all bridges, flyovers with theme-based artwork

The civic body has recently floated tenders for the 18-month project with an estimated cost of ₹8 crore. All work will be done on weekends, holidays, and at night to ensure that traffic movement is not hampered

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to give a makeover to all the bridges and flyovers in Mumbai with theme-based paintings, murals, and 3-D images on their girders, slabs, parapet walls, and anti-crash barriers. The civic body has recently floated tenders for the 18-month project with an estimated cost of ₹8 crore.

Byculla bridge in Mumbai. (HT archive)

All work will be done on weekends, holidays, and at night to ensure that traffic movement is not hampered. A senior civic official of the bridges department said, “Themes for this art work on bridges will be based on the uniqueness of the bridge’s location. For example, if it is close to a heritage structure, we can paint that on it. If it is close to a business district, or a local market, we can have designs depicting those.”

The contractor selected for the project will appoint an architect for the design and conceptualisation of the art work. The theme for each artwork will first be approved by the BMC, either via the bridges department, or through a committee set up for approval.

The officer said, “The contractor will have to ensure that the safety and structural stability of the bridge is not hampered by the work. All existing traffic signages, signboards, blinkers, warnings, and signals for traffic will have to be maintained in their original spots, and should be visible as per the specifications of the traffic police; the art work should not camouflage the safety signs.”