The Carnac Bridge was closed for vehicular traffic on Monday, a day before the Central Railway is to start the phase-wise demolition of the British-era structure. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is expected take up the reconstruction work by the end of this week.
The traffic police have issued a notification declaring that the 150-year-old bridge that runs over the railway tracks between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Masjid Bunder railway stations, will remain out of bounds for motorists. The notification has also announced alternative routes till the new bridge is complete.
Satish Thosar, chief engineer with the bridges department, said they would take at least one-and-a-half years to reconstruct the bridge. “All the required permissions, including a no-objection certificate from the traffic police have been acquired. We are expecting to start the work on a new bridge by the end of this week.”
Other civic amenities in the vicinity like public toilet blocks would be relocated by the ward office, he said.
The BMC has already evicted 800 hawkers from three major roads on which the vehicles will be diverted. The weeklong drive began on August 11 with Yusuf Meher Ali Road followed by Mohammed Ali Road and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) Road.
“We managed to clear all the hawkers from the three roads. We wanted to avoid traffic congestion after the bridge was pulled down,” Dhanaji Herlekar, assistant commissioner, B ward, said.
In traffic diversions, the notification said that Yusuf Meher Ali Road will be functional as a one-way route for south-bound vehicles from 7 am to 11 am and for north-bound vehicles between 4 pm and 9 pm.
Between 7 am and 11 am, north-bound traffic coming from Pohmal junction towards P D’Mello Road will proceed via Mohammad Ali Road – Himalaya Junction – CSMT Junction – Avtar Singh Bedi Chowk.
Alternatively, the vehicles can also proceed via Mohammad Ali Road, take a right turn at Bhendi Bazaar junction and turn left at SVP Road and proceed from Wadi Bunder junction to P D’Mello Road.
From 4 pm to 9 pm, vehicles coming from Kundanlal Kata and proceeding towards Pohmal junction will have to take right at Wadi Bunder junction, go to SVP Road, CSMT junction, and turn left at Bhendi Bazaar junction, go to Mohammad Ali Road, and then proceed to their destination.
Alternatively, traffic headed to Pohmal junction from P D’Mello Road can take a right turn at Kundanlal Kata and proceed to their destination via Avtar Singh Bedi Chowk to CSMT junction, take left at LT Road, and approach Mohammad Ali Road.
There shall be no parking on P D’Mello Road, SVP Road, Yusuf Meher Ali Road, Mohammad Ali Road and Pohmal junction – south and north-bound stretches right up to Himalaya junction. Cargo handcarts have been banned on Yusuf Meher Ali Road to avoid traffic jams.
The BMC had in 2018 decided to reconstruct the bridge after a structural audit carried out by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay declared it unsafe. A work order was also issued in the same year, but the project never took off.
P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects), said they would not float fresh tenders now since the agency had already been finalised.
Civic officials said the reconstruction project was delayed as Carnac Bridge was the sole connector in the area after Hancock Bridge was dismantled in 2016. After missing multiple deadlines, the two lanes of Hancock Bridge were reopened for traffic on August 2.
“Since Hancock Bridge is open, work on Carnac Bridge will be carried out in full force. We are eyeing a 2024 deadline. However, considering the delay, the draft of the original plan may be reconsidered but we are confident that the project will be completed on time,” an official said.