Heavy vehicles can’t ply on new flyover between Ghatkopar, Mankhurd for 2 more months

According to BMC, a high-tension wire runs overhead the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd flyover, and until it is shifted, height restrictions for heavy vehicles on the bridge cannot be revoked

Two months since it was inaugurated by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on August 1, the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd flyover has still not been opened for heavy vehicles. It will take up to two more months before heavy vehicles are allowed to use the flyover, civic authorities from the bridges department said.

Two months since it was inaugurated by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on August 1, the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd flyover has still not been opened for heavy vehicles. It will take up to two more months before heavy vehicles are allowed to use the flyover, civic authorities from the bridges department said. (Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a high-tension wire runs overhead the bridge, and until it is shifted, height restrictions for vehicles on the bridge cannot be revoked.

BMC needs to construct a pier at an alternate location to shift the high-tension wire over the bridge, and will require 225 square metres of land, which falls under the jurisdiction of the collector.

Additional municipal commissioner P Velarasu, who is overseeing the project, said, “We need to basically move the pylon that is carrying the wires away from the bridge, which will serve our purpose. We have requested the state government for permission to use the collector-owned land. It will be allotted to BMC and we will have to pay whatever charges are assessed for this.”

The route sees considerable traffic of heavy vehicles, especially garbage trucks carrying waste to Deonar dumping ground.

The opposition has raised questions over the delay in opening the bridge for heavy vehicles since its inauguration two months ago.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prabhakar Shinde said, “How did the administration not realise at the time of issuing the work order to the contractor or during the construction of the bridge that high-tension wires were running overhead which would hamper access to heavy vehicles, that are tall, such as a truck? The bridge was inaugurated by CM, and despite this, BMC did not undertake due diligence during its construction.”