Mumbai: The opposition has now come together, questioning the delay in the opening of the newly constructed Carnac bridge. On Wednesday, MLA from Mumbadevi, Congress’s Amil Patel, raised the matter in the ongoing state assembly session and demanded an answer from the government for not opening the bridge for traffic despite being ready.
He demanded that it be opened in the next two days. Replying to him, Minister Ganesh Naik said that the Carnac bridge is a crucial connector in south Mumbai and the concerned authorities should act upon opening it soon.
Meanwhile, a heavy police force was deployed on both ends of the Carnac bridge as the Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS workers had given a call to protest at the site. “The karyakartas of the two parties protested on the Masjid Bundar end the near the Musafir Khana demanding the opening of the bridge. We will continue to deploy personnel till the opening of the bridge,” said a senior police officer on the spot.
Speaking with the FPJ, local MP Shiv Sena UBT’s Arvind Sawant said, “Are they waiting for any VIP inauguration? When the bridge is ready, why should the public take a detour? If the concerned authorities are busy, we (Shiv Sena UBT) will open the bridge for traffic.”
The FPJ had reported in its July 1 edition that the BMC administration is waiting for only a formal nod from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ office to throw the bridge open for traffic. Several two-wheelers had already started using the bridge.
The British era rail over bridge, the Carnac bridge, was demolished in November 2022 after the audit termed it structurally weak. Now as the bridge that connects P D’mello Road to Masjid Bander will ease the traffic in CSMT and Mohammad Ali Road once opened.
The construction was completed on June 10, load testing was completed on June 15 and clearances from the Railways were received on June 24. The BMC is only waiting for permission from the CMO to throw it open for traffic.
