Bow String bridge to connect coastal road with Worli sea link

As part of the original plan, the coastal road was supposed to be connected with the BWSL through an elevated arterial bridge that would be built on monopiles (pillars). However, members from the local fishing community claimed that the gap between the pillars were not adequate for boats and would pose threat to their boats, especially during strong waves in the monsoon.

The community demanded that the gap between the pillars should be 200 metres, while the BMC’s recommendation was 60 metres. The fishermen protested and in January 2023, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde intervened and stated that the gap would be increased to 120 metres.

The BMC then revised the plan, removing one pillar to provide wider navigation space for the boats. As the distance between the existing monopiles increased owing to removal of one pillar, the civic body decided to have a “Bow-String” girder bridge.

The specialty of these kind of bridges is that spans are held together through high-tension chords instead of having a base support like that on pillars. The chords forms an arch-shaped girder from the outside and holds the ends of the bridge tightly with the surface.

“The primary reason why we chose this option is that this bridge doesn’t require additional piling works and the removal of one of the existing monopiles will not pose any threat to the structure. This bridge will be held by high-tension chords and these kind of designs are suitable for smaller bridges built without any strong foundation,” said an official.

The length of this bridge will be around 120 metres. Vehicles that pass through the main carriageway of the coastal road towards the north from the Marine Drive will cross this bridge after the traffic interchange in Worli.

Civic officials said that the design has been finalised and the primary challenge was to come up with a new concept of filling the missing link without having to change the existing design of the MCRP.

The BMC is eyeing a November 2023 deadline for this project, however, civic sources state that with the change in design, the deadline may get pushed till May 2024.

“The work on the other stretches of the coastal road is on schedule. This bridge will come up in the northern fag-end, which is within the last one kilometre. If the remaining stretch is ready before bridge work completes, then the MCRP may be opened for vehicular movement,” said an official.