To reduce traffic in the eastern suburbs of the city, the bridge—a vital connection between Ghatkopar East and West—is being completely rebuilt. The 78-year-old building, which was first built in the British era, gained attention following the collapse of the Gokhale Bridge and prompted structural checks throughout Mumbai. The Ghatkopar ROB was deemed overburdened and in urgent need of an update by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B).
Its reconstruction was entrusted to the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), which was financed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The new design includes a bowstring steel span over Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road and a cable-stayed bridge over the railway tracks.The project has seen several difficulties even though construction orders were issued in 2022. The ageing bridge is currently simply maintained; big trucks are not permitted.
BEST buses and commercial transport are consequently compelled to travel longer routes, which affects accessibility to places like Sakinaka and the international airport. The largest obstacle, according to local resident Ajay Bagal, is encroachment along approach roads, particularly on the west side, where a recently constructed SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) facility and stores are preventing alignment. Although the MRIDC is in charge of building, it insists that BMC has the authority to remove these encroachments.The old bridge will be demolished after the new bridge’s right-hand lanes are finished, which should happen within a year.
Source: Urban Acres
