Expedite report on Gokhale bridge solution: BMC to VJTI

BMC urges VJTI to find quick, non-breaking solution for height difference between Gokhale bridge and Barfiwala flyover in Mumbai.

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday released a letter dated March 7, wherein it asked the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to expedite work on identifying a solution to the difference in height between the Gokhale bridge in Andheri and the connecting Barfiwala flyover.

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The letter urged VJTI to provide the “quickest”, “non-breaking” and “implementable” solution possible in its report, which is expected in three to four days.

The civic body has faced extensive criticism after it was reported that while one arm of Gokhale bridge was made operational on February 27, the connecting Barfiwala flyover from Juhu would be out of bounds for a year due to a difference in height between the two structures. HT was the first to report on the 2.833-metre height difference between the two flyovers owing to the railways’ increased height requirement for Gokhale bridge and missing drawings of the Barfiwala flyover.

Responding to social media reels and criticism on Monday, BMC had issued a press statement saying it never intended to connect the two flyovers in the first phase of reconstruction.

In its letter to VJTI, BMC stated: “Considering the public inconvenience at CD Barfiwala Marg junction, the municipal commissioner has strongly instructed to convey to you...to kindly instruct the expert from your esteemed institute to examine...suitable proven technology for expediting the merger of these bridges without breaking existing CD Barfiwala bridge structure (sic).”