BMC yet to do an inventory, survey of bridges in city

MUMBAI: Although the Mahad bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa Expressway has given a wake-up call to the state of Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

MUMBAI: Although the Mahad bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa Expressway has given a wake-up call to the state of Maharashtra, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is still sitting over a proposal to create an inventory of bridges that require immediate repairs.

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According to officials, most of the foot over bridges (FOB) and rail over bridges (ROB) in the city are from the Britishera.

Data reveals that there are 23 such ROBs and 10 FOBs including Carnac Bunder, Reay Road, Mahalaxmi, Elphinstone, Currey Road and King’s Circle.

In 2015, BMC had initiated a Rs 2.1 crore proposal to conduct a survey of 314 bridges in the city. The 8-month survey, which is yet to take off, will categorise bridges into three categories - those that are stable, ones that need immediate repairs and ones that need to be demolished.

A senior civic official said that the proposal is expected to be tabled before the civic standing committee in another 15 days.

The official also said that the Standing Advisory Technical Committee (STAC), a panel of experts, has recommended an audit for bridges every 5 years, which is hardly followed. The last audit was undertaken in 2008, when 56 bridges were declared to be in a dilapidated state.

Experts state that periodic maintenance and inspection of all bridges in the city is essential.

RTI Activist Sharad Yadav recently demanded an undertaking from authorities on the FOBs at Khar and Santacruz.

According to Yadav, the two bridges have been ignored by BMC and Railways when they are in a precarious condition. “The Railways and BMC must co-ordinate and get those bridges repaired,” Yadav said