The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday proposed the demolition of a 100-metre long bridge that passes over one of the inlets of Poisar river at Gorai area in the western suburbs. The decision has, however, left the local residents in a tight spot as the bridge is the only direct access way that connects the Lower and Upper Koliwada areas. According to the civic officials, the bridge is at least three decades old and falls under the buffer-zone of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). “The proposal of constructing this bridge has been mentioned under the Development Plan (DP) 2034 model of the BMC. However, structural audits show that at present the bridge is in a dilapidated condition, therefore, it has been decided to demolish it and reconstruct it,” said an official. The two important Koliwada belts of suburban Mumbai that the bridge connects comprises residential areas of the traditional gaothan or Koli communities. Speaking to The Indian Express, residents said that the demolition of the bridge will make the Koliwada area inaccessible during high tide. “The Koliwadas are usually low-lying areas adjoining the beaches. Once the bridge is demolished the residents will have to take the beach road to reach the main road, which is an extended stretch of 700 metres. If there is a high tide, then the beach will go under water, making the Koliwada area inaccessible from the mainland,” said Oldin Vaisaikar, local resident and chairperson of the Gorai residential society. “The authorities didn’t carry out any consultation with the residents. We would suggest to partially demolish the bridge so that it doesn’t inconvenience us. The bridge connects the two Koliwadas with the main road and ambulances or fire engines need to pass through the bridge to reach the residential zones,” Vasaikar said. Officials maintained that the new bridge will be constructed at Rs 4 crore within the next two years. The new bridge will be sturdier and will comprise railings and light poles. The authorities have also maintained that the bridge will comprise dedicated footpaths for pedestrians at two ends.
