Mumbai: Tilak Bridge work on in full swing

The new Tilak bridge is being constructed parallel to the existing one at Dadar

Work on the new Tilak bridge at Dadar is slowly taking shape with a few pillars and foundations in place. Keeping in mind earlier experiences of traffic jams being caused by the closure of bridges, the authorities are building the new bridge parallel to the existing one, without closing the latter.

The old bridge will be demolished only once the new one is ready.

The existing Tilak Bridge at Dadar was built nearly a century ago, in 1925

The project is being jointly done by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) and the BMC. The MRIDC has been entrusted with the construction of ten road overbridges across the city as well as a road underbridge at Matunga Labour Camp. "The work at Dadar where land has been made available has been going on at a good pace and will be expedited once more land is cleared by the civic body and railways. The time period of completion is 640 days," a senior official said.

Also read: Mumbai: Railways almost done dismantling Gokhale bridge

Officials said that ensuring that traffic moves will be a priority as the new bridge comes up on either side. When mid-day visited the site on Monday, foundation-laying work was on at Senapati Bapat Road in the west and pillars are also coming up near Plaza Cinema and the Dadar West railway yard. The new bridge is being constructed with a cable-based structure and work will be completed in two phases. The total length and width of the new four-lane bridge will be 663 and 16.7 metres. There will be 190-m cables over the bridge area. The existing Tilak Bridge was built nearly a century ago, in 1925.

What the new bridge will look like

The MRIDC has been tasked with building two road overbridges in Byculla and one each in Mazagaon, Arthur Road, Ghatkopar, Lower Parel, Mumbai Central, Dadar, Reay Road and Currey Road. Work has also been going on at other locations apart from Dadar, including Reay Road and Byculla.

663m
Length of the new bridge

16.7
Width of new bridge in metres