The bridge is an important intersection used by daily commuters and travellers heading to the airport.
The bridge has six lanes at present, which will be converted into ten lanes. Work will be carried out in phases.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has obtained permission from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority to proceed with the expansion project of a key bridge over Mithi river — part of Mahim Causeway — that links the island city and suburbs.
The work order, to make way for a wider and longer path, was issued in July 2018, however, faced delays due to lack of clearances as it is located near mangroves and falls within the coastal regulation zone, reports Times of India.
The bridge, which connects Mahim with SV Road and meets the Arabian Sea at Mahim Bay, is an important intersection used by daily commuters and travellers heading to the airport.
The narrow stretch witnesses a massive traffic jam on most days. A study conducted in 2015 revealed that approximately 50,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, a per Hindustan Times report.
According to BMC officers, the bridge is in need of a makeover due to its age of nearly 60 years.
The civic body-appointed Madhav Chitale Committee had recommended the reconstruction of the old bridge after the 2005 deluge, in order to facilitate the easy flow of water back into the river.
Currently, there are four spans under the bridge that collect garbage along with rainwater. The proposal is to create a single span to prevent this issue.
The committee proposed the widening from existing 36 m to 52 m. The length of the causeway was also proposed to be increased from 44 m to 104 m.
The additional commissioner of BMC, P Velarasu, stated, “The current structure is made of reinforced cement oncrete, but the new bridge will be constructed with double mild steel to create an arched design.”
Work on the bridge has already begun with piling, but it will be carried out in full swing after the monsoon season, over a period of 36 months.
A senior engineer working on the project stated, “The bridge has six lanes at present, which will be converted into ten lanes. Work will be carried out in phases — two lanes on each side will be constructed first and after its completion, the middle structure with six lanes will be pulled down.”
However, the addition of extra lanes during construction might cause inconvenience to motorists due to potential spills of raw materials onto the outer sides of the current six lanes.
Commuters traveling from the island city to the suburbs may also encounter disruptions during this phase.