With an aim to ease traffic congestion, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to build 12 new bridges in the city. They also include the much awaited flyover bridge at the Vikhroli railway station.
Since 1992, there has been a long-pending demand from local residents to build a flyover bridge at the Vikhroli station as several commuters have lost their lives while crossing the railway track at this station. According to civic officials, the railway administration has given its consent to the project. The process for inviting tenders for the construction of the flyover bridge in underway, and the bridge is expected to be completed in four years.
S. Kori, chief engineer (bridges) said, “We will build three flyover bridges at Vikhroli, Nahur and Vidyavihar railway stations. The Railways has agreed to construct the bridges in their jurisdiction, while the BMC will complete the remaining work. The planning and design of these bridges will be done and tenders will be invited within six months.”
Civic officials said, the estimated cost of the railway flyover bridges at Vikhroli, Nahur and Vidyavihar will be `30 crore, `10 crore and `55 crore respectively.
The proposed 12 new bridges include four each in the island city, eastern and western suburbs. “To cater to people’s demand, we are planning to build 30 bridges in the city. However, several issues like rehabilitation of project affected people, land acquisition and no objection certificates from various departments need to be sorted out for the construction,” said Mr Kori.
According to civic officials, presently there are 261 bridges, which include 104 bridges, 42 road-over bridges, 16 flyovers, 48 foot overbridges, 25 railway foot overbridges, 10 vehicular subways and 16 pedestrian subways.