Changing City: 3 years after demolition, Carnac Bridge in Mumbai to be opened in June

The 19th-century Carnac Bridge was a crucial east-west connector, providing vehicles with direct access to P’D Mello Road. It was demolished in 2022, nearly eight years after being declared ‘unsafe’ in a structural audit. The Carnac Bridge is one of the first bridges in Mumbai built over railway tracks and was 154 years old when it was pulled down.

Benefits of the new bridge for Mumbai:

The new bridge will be a superstructure made of steel that will be 70 metres long and 9.5 metres wide. It will have four vehicular lanes allowing for the smooth flow of traffic, compared to the two-lane traffic in the previous bridge. This means that the new bridge would hold double the traffic volume. Besides, the new bridge will be equipped with modern-day signage and lighting. Once operational, the Carnac Bridge is expected to decongest South Mumbai roads significantly.

Challenges faced:

Even though the initial tenders were floated in 2016, the bridge was knocked down only six years later. A major challenge faced by the civic authorities was clearing encroachments surrounding the bridge. Besides, government amenities such as a police chowky, an electric supply substation, a temple, and a gymnasium also came in the way of demolition. Consequently, it took nearly five years for the authorities to start the work on the bridge since the date of issuance of work orders.

Cost and current status:

The new bridge is being built for Rs 70 crore. The girder launch was completed in February. Trial runs were completed earlier this week. Once the entire structure, including the pillars, has been erected, the carriageway or the roads will be constructed by the authorities. The bridge will be opened to the public by June.

Administration speaks:

“The idea was always to ensure that the entire bridge is being opened instead of making it operational partially because opening in phases creates challenges in construction work. Last year, the ongoing works were expedited so that the entire bridge could be made functional before the monsoon this year,” said Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).