Three days after WR halted work of breaking Gokhale bridge’s slab bars due to noise pollution complaints, demolition resumes
Work on demolishing the east-west connector in Andheri began in November, following a structural audit report that found it to be dilapidated
Work on breaking the slabs of Gokhale bridge in Andheri resumed after a three-day break on Saturday. Residents had raised their voice against the noise pollution caused due to this. Following instructions from the BMC, the Western Railway had stopped work on the bridge for three days. Authorities, however, restarted work on the bridge, after not being able to find a feasible solution.
Residents of Vijay Nagar in Andheri East had raised concerns about the noise and air pollution caused by the breaking of the slab bars of the Gokhale bridge. Locals had requested that the slabs be transported to isolated spots as senior citizens and children were getting disturbed.
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Abhijeet Samant, a former local corporator, said, “We are not opposing the dismantling work, but are requesting authorities to take the slabs to other sites and break them at isolated areas. There is no need to break them on the spot.”
Also Read: Mumbai: Don’t break Gokhale bridge slabs here, say Andheri locals
According to Mandar Hirlekar, a resident of Vijay Nagar Society, students preparing for their SSC and HSC exams, haven’t been able to concentrate because of the noise pollution. “The authorities blame us for the delays, but what about the delay from their side. Why wasn’t the work carried out during COVID?”
While the BMC intervened following the complaints, forcing WR to stop work for three days, the latter wrote to the corporation explaining that the option of transporting these RCC concrete pieces elsewhere for breaking was not feasible.
When contacted, P Velrasu, additional commissioner, BMC, said, “We have discussed the issue with WR and work has started on Saturday morning.”
A WR spokesperson said that they had received a letter from the BMC to start work and complete it within the deadline. “Residents will have to bear with us in the larger interest of the public. We have no other option, but to carry out work,” an official said.
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