Citizens demand a detailed timeline of Gokhale Bridge reconstruction for transparency

In its letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief and the CM, the Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF), a citizen welfare and redressal platform, requested to publish a detailed timeline for the reconstruction of the delayed Gokhale Bridge for transparency

Mumbai: Frustrated over frequent delays in the opening of Gokhale Bridge, a key east-west connector of the Andheri suburbs, a citizen’s forum has written a letter to the municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal and chief minister Eknath Shinde to demand a step-by-step timeline for the construction of the bridge.

Mumbai, India - June 21, 2023 : Work on Gokhale Bridge, Andheri, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

In its letter to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief and the CM, the Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF), a citizen welfare and redressal platform, requested to publish a detailed timeline for the reconstruction of the delayed Gokhale Bridge for transparency.

“I request that you provide a detailed step-by-step timeline for the construction of the Gokhale bridge. This would ideally include a breakdown of the different stages of the project, the estimated time required for each stage, and the overall expected completion date. For example, approvals from RDSO and railway safety board, the arrival of fabricated material, assembly of fabricated material, pushing of a first girder, building the road over the first girder and approaches, pushing of second girder, etc.” read the MNCDF’s letter

Meanwhile, activist Zoru Bhathena, sharing the tender conditions for the re-construction of the Gokhale Bridge said that BMC needs to make the daily progress public.

“Please share your Bar Chart/PERT/ CPM/ GANTT chart timeline plan. Please also share your daily progress register daily. This will give the public confidence that work is progressing well on time. (sic)” tweeted Bhathena on Wednesday.

Advocate Trivankumar Karnani, founder MNCDF, said, “The bridge has been in the state of construction since the year 2018, however, the governing body, BMC, has failed to disseminate an itemised chronology for the completion of various phases of the project. The only indication given to the public is shifting deadlines, which are continually postponed. The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report pertaining to the Gokhale Bridge paints a clear picture, revealing orchestrated dereliction of duty and corrupt actions by BMC officials.” he said adding “not only has BMC squandered temporal resources, but there has also been a flagrant misappropriation of public funds.”

“It is recommended that the culpable officials be subjected to immediate suspension. Despite the terms stated in the tender and numerous formal requests for information, the BMC has willfully suppressed the release of the project timeline to the public, which can be construed as a deliberate act of non-disclosure.” added Karnani.

P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (Projects) said, “Whatever information needs to be shared it is being shared regularly to the public through the press releases on Gokhale Bridge.”

BMC shared details on the work on the Municipal portion of the bridge. A copy of which is exclusively with HT. As per the bar chart, a timeline for various work on the municipal portion of the bridge was shared.

As per the Bar chart (Phase II), the work on Girders will begin from July end and will go on till early November 2023. The chart also mentioned road works to be done in September and Early November. The Excavation work will go on till late November, reinforcement work till early December. Piling work including boring/concrete/liner/testing will be done in early September. Concrete for Pile cap/footing will be in two phases, early July to mid-August and Mid-September to late-October.

The bar chart prepared by the contractor M/s SMS Ltd mentioned, “The above schedule is prepared by considering handover of site by M/s AB Infrabuild in month of July 2023 to start work on Phase II in west side and Sep 2023 in east side.”

The BMC did not share the bar chart on Phase I of the project.

HT on Sunday reported that sources in BMC said it will not be possible to reopen Gokhale bridge this year, to that BMC on Sunday released a press statement denying the story and said it is working hard to finish both the lanes of Gokhale Bridge by December end.