Citing urgency due to the pandemic, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has assigned repair work of the Marwa bridge—a link between Saki Vihar Road and SevenHills hospital—to a contractor without a tender. The contractor is already working on a bridge in Kalina and the Marwa one has been added to the contract. The original cost of the contract was Rs 14.23 crore but the additional work has increased the amount by Rs 11.85 crore. While the administration states that it is important to repair the bridge, as commuters will be able to reach SevenHills faster, the work will take at least two years to be completed.

Marwa bridge, near Picnick Hotel on Saki Vihar Road, has been shut since June this year, after it was declared dilapidated by the Bridges Department. One wall on the southern side of the bridge collapsed, following which the route was closed. The bridge is a link between the local area and Saki Vihar Road and commuters also use it to reach SevenHills hospital, which has been converted into a Covid Care Centre. However, the hospital also has access from the Andheri-Ghatkopar road. Ashok Matekar, husband of local corporator Ashwini Matekar, said, “The bridge is old and we have been trying to get it repaired for a long time. Finally, the work has been allotted and it will start in January.”