Traffic at BKC to be hit as BMC rebuilds part of Mumbai’s 1st skywalk

A decision of demolishing and rebuilding a part of the city’s skywalk in Bandra has been taken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as structural defects were noticed by a third-party auditor. The station road which leads to Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) is likely to notice huge traffic due to the demolition and reconstruction work. 

 

The cost estimated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials for the construction of the skywalk between the Eastern side of Bandra station and Western Express Highway will be approximately Rs 16.2 crore. The Bids have already been floated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with the last date for submitting bids being September 13. Including monsoon season the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has made a target of completing the project in the time frame of 18 months.  

 

“As of now only one part of Bandra East Skywalk will be reconstructed and the decision on the remaining structures will soon be taken. It will not be feasible to shut the road, so we have decided to carry the demolition and reconstruction work as per the traffic movements,” stated Satish Thosar who is the chief engineer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s bridges department. For maintenance purposes, the skywalk was handed over to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) who constructed it in 2015.

 

The monsoon season in 2019 led to the collapse of the skywalk in the east, injuring a woman which led to the order of an audit into the stability of many skywalks in the city. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials stated that the work was going to be commenced in August 2019 but owing to Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown the plan was delayed.

 

There are more than 23 skywalks where there is a need for extensive reconstruction following which the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had appointed the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) to suggest major repairs which also included that of Bandra.  

 

 

Image Courtesy: Hindustan Times