Central Railway: British-era Carnac Bridge warrants immediate demolition before monsoon

Carnac Bridge was constructed in 1867 in the Victorian era, primarily for bullock carts and horse-drawn carriages, and was restricted for heavy vehicles

MUMBAI: The Central Railway (CR) has sought permission from the traffic police to carry out demolition of the 150-year-old British-era Carnac Bridge, before the monsoon. The bridge which is located in South Mumbai has been declared ‘unsafe’ by an audit conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in 2018. CR has also sought permission from the city traffic department to stop traffic on the bridge.

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The Carnac Bridge was constructed in 1867 in the Victorian era, primarily for bullock carts and horse-drawn carriages, and was restricted for heavy vehicles. However, today, it is a vital bridge connecting PD’Mello Road and DN Road. After discussions with the railway and BMC authorities, only Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) was allowed to operate on the bridge. A senior CR official informed, “We have discussed with the traffic and BMC authorities to demolish the bridge. It should be razed before the monsoon starts. A new bridge will be constructed here.”

Earlier, the CR had started construction of a Road Over Bridge (ROB) at Byculla railway station. Experts have also implemented speed restrictions of 30 kmph on all vehicles on the Byculla, Arthur Road, and Currey Road ROBs.