As the Ganesh festival began Wednesday with Ganesh Chaturthi, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) identified 12 bridges in Mumbai in precarious condition, and urged people not to overcrowd them. All of these bridges are railway overbridges (ROBs) that pass over the train tracks between Marine Lines and Dadar.
Most of these bridges are located in South and Central Mumbai, known to be the hotspots of Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals, which are thronged by devotees from across Maharashtra and the country.
The bridges identified are Marine Lines railway flyover, Sandhurst Road railway flyover at Grant Road, French railway flyover at Charni Road, Kennedy railway flyover between Grant Road and Charni Road, Falkland railway flyover at Mumbai Central, Mahalaxmi railway station flyover, Prabhadevi-Carroll flyover and Lokmanya Tilak railway flyover at Dadar.
Civic officials said the maximum weight allowed on these bridges is 16 tonnes and advised people against playing music with heavy bass on the bridges to prevent vibration.
“These bridges are not dilapidated, but during the festival, people transport idols on trucks accompanied by a procession of devotees. This situation places a significant weight on the bridges. As most of these structures are nearly a century old, it is advisable that they should not be overcrowded,” said an official.
“Some of these bridges are currently undergoing repairs, while others have been shortlisted for future repairs that will commence after the monsoon season. Since these bridges are situated in areas where Ganpati celebrations occur, we cannot fully close them, as this would lead to traffic chaos and inconvenience for citizens. These bridges see a significant influx of people during the festival, which is why we must approach this situation with caution,” the official added.
Central Mumbai, encompassing the Dadar, Parel, and Lalbaug areas, is a hub for the Ganpati festivals. These areas also have workshops where the idols are crafted. Citizens often participate in the procession by carrying the idols from the workshops to the pandals.
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Until last year, the civic authorities listed 13 bridges. This year, one bridge in Ghatkopar was closed for repairs.
The 10-day Ganesh festival will continue until September 6, the day of Anant Chaturdashi.
