BMC appoints new contractor to build Hancock bridge

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has appointed a new contractor to carry out the re-construction of Hancock bridge in Mazgaon. The contract has been awarded to a railway contractor M/s Sai Projects Mumbai Pvt. Ltd, and it also received the standing committee’s nod on Wednesday. The re-construction will begin immediately and is expected to be completed within a year. The construction was stalled almost for two years after the contractor was blacklisted. In May 2016, the BMC had awarded the contract for Hancock bridge to J Kumar firm which was blacklisted after an activist filed a PIL in the Bombay High Court. Finally, fresh tenders were floated and the process was completed on December 20, 2017. Out of four companies, Sai Projects Mumbai bagged the tender owing to its lowest bid. The BMC will be spending Rs 51.70 crore for re-construction of the British-era Hancock bridge.

The 137-year-old Hancock bridge was demolished on January 9 and January 10, 2016 after it was declared unsafe by the central railway and it was recommended that the bridge be demolished and reconstructed. However, after the bridge was demolished, commuters travelling from/ to Sandhurst Road were left with only one foot overbridge (FOB) from the Central Line platform. The lone FOB at the station, on the southern end, connects only to the west and the station has no direct connection to the east. Many people chose to cross tracks to avoid a 5-7 km detour, which led to accidents near Sandhurst Road.

“The much-awaited project of reconstruction of Hancock Bridge will finally take off. After shortlisting the contractor and awarding the contract we tabled the proposal at the standing committee for approval and the proposal was passed. We are looking forward to completing the project within a year,” said a senior official from the bridges department. Once reconstructed, the bridge will be a great relief to residents and commuters of Mazgaon, Sandhurst Road, Dongri, and Byculla.

The stone and iron bridge, between Mazgaon and Sandhurst road was built in 1879, named after Colonel H F Hancock, who was the president of Bombay Municipal Corporation (presently Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation). The bridge was rebuilt in 1923.