The alignment of the Gopalkrishna Gokhale Bridge and the Barfiwala Flyover in Mumbai is complete and will open to traffic on July 1. On Tuesday, June 18, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also announced that the remaining work would be completed by July 10.
To align the two structures, the BMC had to raise the Barfiwala Flyover. One side was lifted by 1,397 mm, and the other by 650 mm. This was done using hydraulic jacks and MS stool packing. The foundation work began on April 14. Concrete was poured during the monsoon season to align the connecting girders of both bridges.
The project took two months of careful planning. BMC engineers and consultants supervised the work. They erected two supporting pedestals and six new bearings for stability.
The stitching and concrete work went smoothly as the rain stopped for twelve hours after the project started. They had set up a weatherproof shed in case of rain. The high quality of the concrete used helped it set quickly. There will be a 14-day curing period. A load test will follow to ensure safety.
The BMC had set aside about INR 3 crore for this project. Specialists from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) and IIT-Bombay managed the project. VJTI reported on March 19 that the two bridges could be merged without demolishing the Barfiwala Flyover.
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