Mumbai Aligns Barfiwala Flyover with Gokhale Bridge for July Opening

The Mumbai civic body, known as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has announced the opening of the CD Barfiwala flyover in Andheri to vehicular traffic starting July 1. This comes after the successful completion of a critical engineering feat where the flyover was realigned to match the Gokhale bridge. The alignment issue had previously drawn public criticism when it was discovered earlier this year following the opening of the north arm of the Gokhale bridge.

According to a BMC release on Wednesday, the challenging task involved using hydraulic jacks to lift and align the Barfiwala flyover parallel to the Gopalkrishna Gokhale bridge. This operation was completed on Monday, marking a significant milestone in the project. The BMC highlighted that two months of micro-level planning and relentless effort have culminated in this achievement.

The mismatch between the newly reconstructed Gokhale bridge over railway tracks at Andheri station and the decade-old Barfiwala flyover had been a major point of contention. With concrete curing work now concluded, preparations are underway to facilitate traffic flow on both bridges by July 1. These bridges serve as crucial links between Andheri East and West, prompting BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to expedite the connection works.

Technical details of the operation include lifting the Barfiwala flyover by 1,397 mm on one side and 650 mm on the other using a hydraulic jack and MS stull packing. Additionally, pedestals supporting pillars were installed under the flyover. Aligning the bolts of these pedestals with the pillars of the Barfiwala flyover presented a significant challenge, which was overcome by achieving a precise match within a 2 mm space gap.

The technical team, comprising engineers and consultants from the bridge department, executed this task under the guidance of experts from Veermata Jijabai Institute of Technology (VGTI), IIT Bombay, and Stractonic Consulting Engineers. High-quality concrete was used to expedite the concreting work. Following this phase, a load test is scheduled within 24 hours, with bridge joint work expected to conclude shortly thereafter.

This project underscores BMC's commitment to resolving infrastructure challenges through meticulous planning and innovative engineering solutions. The successful realignment of the Barfiwala flyover alongside Gokhale bridge is set to improve traffic flow in one of Mumbai's busiest areas, enhancing connectivity for thousands of commuters daily.