Ganesh festival | BMC’s advice: avoid crowding on 13 old bridges

Of the total bridges, the ROBs at Curry Road, Arthur Road, Chinchpokli and Byculla fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Railways; the ROBs at Marine Lines, Sandhurst Road, French Railway, Kennedy ROB, Falkland ROB, Belassis Bridge, Mahalaxmi ROB, Prabhadevi ROB and Lokmanya Tilak ROB fall under the jurisdiction of the Western Railways.

Civic officials said they have urged citizens not to crowd the ROBs and that a maximum weight of 16 tonnes would be permitted on these bridges.

The ten-day long Ganeshotsav will start from September 19 and starting from the first week of September, the mandals will start bringing idols to the pandals.

Most bridges are located in south and central Mumbai, which are known to be the hotspots of Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandals which are thronged by devotees from across the state and country.

Moreover, most of the workshops are in central Mumbai, from where devotees take idols to their homes.

“During the festival, people carry Idols on trucks, which are accompanied by a procession of devotees. Since most of these bridges are almost over 100 years, devotees are advised not to overcrowd the bridges, which can bear a maximum weight of 16 tonnes,” said an official from the civic administration.

BMC officials also said that during the festival, entry of heavy vehicles, such as trucks and matadors, would be restricted on these bridges.

The civic body’s appeal comes in the wake of two bridge collapse incidents — Gokhale and Himalaya Bridge collapse in the past few years.

The civic administration also said that it will also undertake a drive to fix potholes on some of the major and minor roads of Mumbai, which records heavy footfall and more vehicular movement during the festival.

Civic officials said that a route map, through which organisers will take out a procession, will be drafted, based on which pothole-filling works will be taken up on a war footing.

Earlier this week, the BMC said a fine of Rs 2,000 per pothole will be imposed on mandal mangements found damaging roads for erecting barricades.