CM likely to inaugurate Gokhale Bridge on Feb 26

BMC to open one arm of Gokhale Bridge, crucial Andheri connector, on February 26 after 15 months of closure, easing traffic in Andheri East.

MUMBAI: Given commuters’ urgent need for the Gokhale Bridge, the crucial east-west Andheri connector which has been shut for 15 months, the BMC will open one arm of the bridge on February 26. Civic officials from the BMC’s bridges department have been asked to ready the bridge by Monday for the inauguration, which is expected to be done at the hands of chief minister Eknath Shinde.

HT Image

When deputy municipal commissioner Vishwas Shankarwar and MLA Ameet Satam inspected the work on Thursday, they observed that it was nearly over. That was when they asked civic chief I S Chahal when it would be thrown open to the public. Chahal then declared February 26 as the inauguration date at the hands of Shinde, confirmed the civic officials.

“The breadth of one side of Gokhale Bridge is equivalent to three lanes, and all the traffic issues that were plaguing Andheri East due to its closure will now be sorted,” said an official from the bridges department. “This means three vehicles can pass at one time through one arm of the bridge. Whether the three lanes will be used one way or for both sides will be decided by the traffic department. But most probably it will be two-way.”

This one arm connects S V Road in Andheri (West) to the Western Express Highway (WEH) in the east as well as the Teli Gully bridge approaches from WEH to Gokhale Bridge, measuring at least 800 metres.

Meanwhile, work on the second side of the bridge is yet to begin but the construction of girders in the factory has gained momentum. After their arrival, the launching of girders and piers will commence, and the targeted date of completion is now December 31, 2024. The stress on Andheri subway will then be reduced.

The closure of Gokhale Bridge increased traffic woes in Andheri immensely, and its opening will provide much-needed relief to commuters on Monday. The deadline to open one arm of the bridge was postponed several times. As per the sixth deadline, the partial opening of the bridge was scheduled for February 25 but is now finalised for February 26.

The pedestrian portion of Gokhale Bridge crashed on July 3, 2018, because of corrosion and overload caused by the use of cables and paver blocks. The bridge has been closed since November 3, 2022.