Mumbai: BMC's Vidyavihar bridge set to break records with launch of 99.35m girder

Mumbai: The BMC has plans to launch 99.35 metres of the first girder for the Vidyavihar bridge over railway track. So the civic authority has requested the Central Railway's to approve traffic blocks for the planned work. The Patripul in Kalyan currently has the longest bridge girder at 76.67 metres.

The BMC is constructing a bridge across the railway track at Vidyavihar railway station, connecting Lalbahadur Shastri Marg (LBS) and Ramkrishna Chemburkar Marg (RC). The bridge is 480 metres long, of which 223 metres will come up on railway land above the tracks. Currently, the construction of the bridge is underway in Phase 1, with the launch of two open web girders (OWG) for a length of about 99.30 m each. The girders will be resting on end piers, which are constructed in R.C.C. It is a two-lane bridge on both sides, with a footpath from RN Gandhi School on the east side to Ramdev Peer Marg on the west side.

Block at midnight to carry out work

Ulhas Mahale, deputy municipal commissioner (infrastructure), said, "The longest girder of 99.35 metres will be installed on the Vidyavihar bridge. But we would require a block at midnight to carry out the work. So the request has been put forward to the railways for the same."

"The bridge will improve the traffic movement around Vidyavihar railway station and will provide relief to Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (Kurla). It will also help to improve east-west connectivity and ease traffic on the Santacruz-Chembur link road and Ghatkopar ROB considerably," said another civic official. The plan for the bridge was prepared in 2016. However, the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) of the Ministry of Railways suggested changes to the bridge. So, the design in the rail area had to be changed with the railway's permission. Also, as per the earlier plan, the bridge would have been landed near the railway station, but it would have congested the station area. So according to the changes made by the BMC, the bridge will be extended further.

The estimated cost of the bridge after the additional work is Rs. 178.93 crores, up from Rs. 99.98 crores. The bridge is expected to be completed by May 2024.