British era Carnac bridge to be demolished

The bridge was declared unsafe by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay experts in 2018 and is expected to be demolished.

Carnac Bridge in South Mumbai, built in the British era nearly 150 years ago, is in deteriorating condition and will be demolished in July. Precise dates of dismantling the bridge have not been finalised.

A view of the newly constructed Hancock Bridge, located between the railway stations of Sandhurst Road and Byculla. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

The bridge was declared unsafe by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay experts in 2018 and is expected to be demolished by a team of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and central railway officials.

The bridge is located between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus(CSMT) and Masjid Bunder railway stations and can now be dismantled with Hancock Bridge said to open for road traffic.

The central railway will operate small blocks to dismantle the bridge, but later major railway blocks will be required.

In April, the central railway had sought permission to stop traffic and demolish the British era Carnac Bridge. Railways had also flagged the bridge as unsafe, informing the BMC and the Mumbai traffic police.

The Carnac bridge was constructed in 1867 and has now been restricted for heavy vehicles. While the Hancock bridge was still under construction, vehicular movement on the Carnac bridge could not be completely suspended due to the impact its absence would have on vehicular traffic.