BMC completes resurfacing work on 17 of 21 major Mumbai bridges

In a new development on the city bridges, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed resurfacing work on 17 of the 21 major ones much before the onset of monsoon. While work on one bridge is underway, tenders have been re-invited from bidders for three of the remaining bridges, work on which is expected to start by October.

Work on the 17 bridges was carried out at a cost of Rs35.02 crore. A senior civic official said following the recommendations of civic body's Standing Technical Advisory Committee, mechanised mastic technology has been used to resurface the bridges.

"The technology ensures better, durable and deformation-resistant roads. The bridges won't develop potholes easily," said a civic official.

The official, however, added that the bridges come with a guarantee period and, if there is any damage within that period, the onus of repairing it is with the contractor hired for the work.

Of the 17 bridges, the maximum amount of Rs4.86 crore has been spent on Mahalaxmi bridge as the expansion joint (the gap between two deck slabs in a bridge) had to be replaced. The same work will be carried out in some of the other major bridges.

"Finding out the exact location of the expansion joint is difficult. Moreover, fully replacing an expansion joint is also an expensive and a tedious process. Resurfacing of bridges is usually carried out during the night," the official informed, adding, "For replacing expansion joints, the entire bridge has to be shut."

Some of the prominent bridges where the resurfacing and replacement of expansion joints has been completed are Tilak bridge in Dadar, Elphinstone bridge, Kemps Corner Bridge, Gloria Bridge in Byculla and Gokhale bridge in Andheri.

Last year, the tender process of the remaining three of the 21 bridges — JSS, Keshavsoot and Curry Road — could not be completed. They will cost the civic body Rs4.57 crore, Rs1.69 crore and Rs1.40 crore, respectively.