The 13-year-old Dindoshi flyover was supposed to have been sturdy for 50 years. But the cracks and damage show the sorry state of one of the busiest bridges in western suburb.
Whenever a flyover is constructed, it is made to withstand any problem for a minimum of five decades if not a century.
An engineer with the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) said a flyover is constructed with a minimum lifespan of 50 years while the maximum can even cross 100 years.
“The life of a flyover differs from structure to structure. But as per the thumb rule, it should be a minimum of 50 years,” said an official, requesting anonymity.
The viaduct of the Mumbai metro rail has been engineered to serve for 125 years, whereas the Delhi metro rail’s life span is 120 years.
The Ultadanga flyover that collapsed in March this year in Kolkata had a lifespan of 50 years. Built in 2011, the bridge collapsed in two years. Later, the civic body there conducted an audit of all bridges in Kolkata.
Even after 38 years, the old Lalbaug flyover was intact and strong. It took about a week for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority officials to demolish it and to pave way for a longer flyover.
An MMRDA official confirmed that lifespan of a bridge is anywhere between 50 and 60 years.
Other flyovers in Mumbai, including Parel and Kemps Corner flyovers, have crossed at least two to three decades of service without any major structural problems.
Similar to other railway bridges made of metal, the Elphinstone railway overbridge also known as Carol Bridge (a metal structure) completed 100 years this year. It was constructed between 1911 and 1913 to connect Parel to Elphinstone and gave people an easy east-west connectivity.
The construction of this south-bound bridge started on April 13, 1998, and was opened to motorists after a year on April 12, 1999. In the last decade, the north-bound arm of the flyover was added, giving motorists a smoother ride.
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