Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation cross-checks 6 newly added unsafe bridges

A re-audit of the suburban bridges added six more to the list of unsafe bridges. Earlier, auditors had suggested that repairing alone would suffice. It also ordered for the demolition of 11 bridges; of which four have already been taken down. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation hasn't revealed the names of the six bridges to avoid panic among commuters. The civic engineers are now cross-checking the condition of these six bridge; they are comparing earlier reports to see what has made the bridges unsafe as per new reports. The civic body is yet to decide on an auditor for bridges in the island city.

After the Himalaya bridge collapse on March 14 that killed seven people and injured more than 31, the BMC blacklisted D D Desai consultant which audited South Mumbai bridges and suggested minor repairing for the Himalaya bridge. The civic body asked two other auditors to re-audit the bridges of suburbs. Out of the 262 bridges of the eastern and western suburbs, the auditors already suggested 11 bridges be demolished.

Now as per the new report, six more bridges are added in the list of unsafe bridges. "We will first cross-check the condition of the bridges, the earlier report and what makes them unsafe now. The auditors have to answer the query," said an officer from the Bridge Department. There will be also change in the numbers of bridges which require minor and major repairing.

After Mahad river bridge collapse in 2016, BMC appointed three auditors to inspect the bridges for Mumbai - C. V. Kand Consultants for the western suburbs, Structwel Designers and Consultants Pvt. Ltd for the eastern suburbs and D D Desai Associate Engineering Consultant and Analysis for the south part. Out of all 344 bridges (including Himalaya Bridge), auditor suggested 176 bridges for minor repairs, 47 for major repairs and demolition of 14 bridges. BMC already demolished four bridges from suburbs and three bridges from the south Mumbai.

DD Desai Consultant, which is blacklisted by the BMC after Himalaya Bridge, had audited 82 bridges in the South Mumbai out of which it categorised 17 bridges as in good condition, 43 that needed minor repairs, 19 which needed major repairs and 3 in a dilapidated condition that needed to be demolished. BMC had demolished all the three bridges.

Taking Stock

• The city authority hasn’t revealed the names of the six bridges to avoid panic among commuters 
• Engineers will first cross-check the condition of the bridges, then the earlier report, and what makes them unsafe now