BMC will close Malad's SV Road bridge; angry store owners

The store owners occupying the alignment of a crumbling bridge on SV Road in Malad have now received notifications from the BMC with a three-day deadline. The corporation had constructed lanes around the bridge after deeming it to be in disrepair in 2019 but was unable to open it due to the stores. All Western line railroad stations are connected with SV Road. Many people reportedly find it difficult to relocate or are dissatisfied with the pay on offer.

 

Following the collapse of the Himalaya foot-over-bridge, the BMC finished the tendering process for the repair of the Malad bridge. An official was quoted in a Midday story as saying that the refusal of the store owners on the bridge to move would prevent the construction from the beginning. The official went on to say that the traffic police had also rejected a permit for the bridge to be closed, therefore they had temporarily strengthened the bridge. Following the relocation of the stores on the bridge by the ward office, the building started in December 2021.

 

The access route could not be opened before the old bridge was torn down, but there are still additional buildings that need to be destroyed. According to the article, BMC officials met with business owners last month in an attempt to find a solution, but in vain. An engineer estimated that it would take 10 to 12 days to build the asphalt road that connects to the bridge, and only then could traffic on the old bridge be stopped.

 

But irate store owners claim that the BMC only orally told them last month and then on November 5 sent them a letter with an ultimatum. They bemoaned having to decide on stores they had been running for years in just three days. According to another store owner, BMC only offers 75% of the ready reckoner rate or asks them to relocate to far areas like Byculla, Kurla, and Dahisar.

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @mybmc