Mumbai: Reay Road cable bridge delayed till November

Work of the bridge was supposed to be completed in May. Pic/Ashish Raje

The new cable-stayed bridge at Reay Road, which was supposed to complete in May 2024, will be ready by November. Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) said that the BMC had asked it to revise the deadline for asphalting and other finishing works post-monsoon, when it will be commissioned for the public.

Work on the bridge had started in February 2022 and given the criticism for delays in the construction of bridges and related traffic jams, the original plan was to complete the bridge in two years. A visit to the site by mid-day found that of the six pairs of cables to be erected, only one had been placed along with the girders, but the steel parts were still being assembled.

Work post-monsoon

While officials claimed that work was at an advanced stage, final works like adding a coat of asphalt will be done post-monsoon. The BMC has entrusted MRIDC, also called MahaRail, to reconstruct dilapidated British-era road overbridges in Mumbai and suburban areas. Works are currently on at Reay Road, Byculla, Dadar and Ghatkopar. While the old bridge at Reay Road had been demolished, at other sites like Dadar and Byculla, the new bridges are being built adjacent or parallel to the existing bridges considering the tremendous road traffic movement in these areas.

Built at cost of Rs 145cr

The new Reay Road cable-stayed bridge, built at a cost of Rs 145 crore, reflects a new era and new age for infra. The new bridge is 385 metres long, with two ramps and has six lanes. There are six pairs of cables on the cable-stayed span, work on which is in the final stages. Once complete, MahaRail has also planned to accommodate LED lighting on the bridge, which will enhance its aesthetic appeal. The bridge has also been designed with improved safety parameters, along with a bridge health monitoring system.