July 17, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a major infrastructure upgrade with plans to demolish and reconstruct seven bridges in Mumbai’s western suburbs, specifically Kandivali and Malad. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 326.4 million, and completion is expected within two years.
These include three vehicular bridges and four foot overbridges located in the R/South (Kandivali) and P/North (Malad) wards. Among the vehicular bridges marked for reconstruction are a 21-metre reinforced cement concrete (RCC) bridge near Appa Pada and another near Surbhi Complex, Sainagar, both in Kandivali East.
The four pedestrian bridges identified are located near Ramnagar Chawl in Kandivali East, Narvane Transit Camp, Gavdevi Road, and Mahalakshmi Dairy Farm in Hanuman Nagar. Civic officials noted that these bridges are in a dilapidated condition, with two already closed and others partially shut for public safety.
A structural audit initiated by the BMC’s bridges department led to this decision. SCG Consulting Services initially assessed the bridges and recommended complete demolition and rebuilding. This was later confirmed in 2023 by Structronics Consulting Engineers, who independently validated the need for full reconstruction.
Femstruct Consulting Engineers has now been appointed as the technical consultant. Their role includes preparing the conceptual designs, detailed cost estimates, and tender documents for the entire project.
The Rs 326.4 million budget includes consultancy charges and will be funded from the BMC’s bridges department allocation, which totals Rs 82.39 billion for the 2025–2026 municipal budget year.
The project aims to improve pedestrian and vehicular connectivity in these high-density residential zones, addressing long-standing safety concerns caused by the poor condition of the existing structures.
Source: Construction World
