Mumbai: The meeting between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Western Railway (WR) over the Delisle Bridge construction at WR headquarter on Saturday was inconclusive because the former had sent three sub-engineers, who are not even junior grade officer.
The railway officials reiterated that the bridge should be constructed by the BMC. The tender will be issued for dismantling the bridge next week.
Sources in WR said that, the chief principal engineer of WR called for a meeting at Churchgate for removal of public utility cables and reconstruction of the bridge, but the BMC sent three sub-engineers to the meeting.
“This shows that the civic body is not serious over the issue of Delisle Bridge. We have asked it to deposit '27 crore for reconstruction of pathways of Gokhale bridge and maintenance of other bridges. The WR headquarter will again write a letter to the BMC to reconstruct the Delisle Bridge,” said a senior WR officer.
He also added, “We have invited a tender for the Gokhale Bridge pathway construction.”
The WR has requested the corporation to construct the Delisle Bridge as it is also constructing Hancock Bridge between Sandhurst Road and Byculla station of the Central Railway.
Ravinder Bhakar, chief public relation officer of WR said, “We are issuing a tender on August 1 for dismantling the Delisle Bridge. We have also requested BMC to remove the public utility cables so that the bridge can be easily dismantled.”
The dilapidated road over bridge (ROB) at Lower Parel was closed for commuters from July 24, causing a huge inconvenience to lakhs of people. Officials of the Western Railway said the 97-year-old Delisle ROB may remain closed for operation for the next two years. The city traffic police had put a poster near the entry of the ROB informing the commuters and motorists that it has been closed following a request by the WR. However, later it was decided that the pedestrians could be allowed to use the ROB.
The other five bridges which need reconstruction or repair are Ferere ROB at Grant Road, Belasis ROB at Mumbai Central, Tilak ROB at Dadar, Carol ROB at Prabhadevi and one at Mahalaxmi.
