Rumblings of the ill-health of the Gokhale over bridge had been going on long before a portion of it collapsed on Tuesday. For a change, it is not entirely the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) fault, the Railways, that had declared the bridge fit last year, are also to blame. Both agencies have delayed much-needed repairs on the bridge.

The bridge is maintained by both the BMC and the Railways. While the collapsed portion is the Railways's responsibility, for which BMC pays them, the civic body takes care of the remaining part. According to civic officials, the bridge (which is BMC's responsibility) had become weak and major repairs were planned about two to three years ago after a visual inspection.