The bridge, which cost Rs 90 crore to build, is an important link between Andheri East and Andheri West. However, during the construction process, the BMC failed to properly align the Gokhale bridge with the Barfiwala flyover. This has left residents and local activists dissatisfied with the BMC.
The Mumbai civic government has found it too difficult to align and connect two significant flyovers; as a result, there is now a mocking gap of about six feet between them. The error has also caused a political backlash, with the opposition questioning the government about if it believes Mumbai residents will jump from a moving car to go to the other overpass.
The Gokhale Bridge, a significant structure that links Andheri East and West, opened to traffic on Monday night. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) described the bridge as an architectural wonder and stated that it was constructed over the "country's busiest railway tracks" without interfering with local or long-distance train services.
Shocking what the under the BJP sponsored khoke sarkar and the corrupt administrator has fallen to.
Yes truly first in India, probably the world that the 2 bridges that were to be joined have a difference of 6 ft in height between the 2!
The guardian ministers have… https://t.co/o7rChOLvQW
Commuters hailed the prospect of having their journey time reduced once more as word spread that the Gokhale Bridge will soon open. But when it became clear that the Barfiwala Flyover was not connected due to the height difference and the bridge would not function as most cars utilized it, the excitement gave way to dismay.
Schools and offices in Andheri should declare a public holiday on the opening day of Gokhale Bridge so the beneficiaries can celebrate and visit the much awaited piece of infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/fw2zjy2q0U
— Roads of Mumbai (@RoadsOfMumbai)Me and my friends at Andheri Gokhale Bridge at 3 AM pic.twitter.com/5pWDsbmPEI
— Shahid Shaikh (@ArtetasHairGel)Yesterday they inaugurated the long delayed Gokhale bridge in Mumbai, which is - get this - misaligned by 1.5 mtrs.
Due to this the Barfiwala flyover went BELOW the old bridge. 😂
pic.twitter.com/niz9fWhfl2
Juhu people trying to access Gokhale bridge.. pic.twitter.com/00s42xzn8o
— Mukesh (@mikejava85)For the unaware, a portion of the bridge had collapsed in 2018, killing two people, and it was demolished in 2022 to be reconstructed. Before it was taken apart, the bridge linked to the Barfiwala Flyover, which is used by traffic from the area to head towards Juhu and then proceed to key suburbs like Bandra.