Rs 140 crore Lalbaug flyover develops crack 2nd time in 3 months, affects peak hour traffic
Lalbaugh flyover shut for traffic on Monday morning. Picture Courtesy: Dhawal Maheshwari
Early morning commuters travelling to or from South Mumbai were in for a harrowing time on Monday as authorities had to shut Lalbaug flyover for the second time in the last 3 months after a wide crack between the expansion joints was left exposed.
According to a traffic official, the rubber seal between the expansion joints had given way, exposing a wide gap on the south-bound lane (towards South Mumbai) of the flyover.
Since the crack could potentially widen under stress, both north and south-bound lanes were subsequently shut for traffic around 7 pm to carry out the repair work.
While traffic officials were quick to reach the spot and reroute vehicular movement, the peak hour traffic didn’t help.
As a result, motorists faced an average delay of around 15-20 minutes over and above their usual travel time. The alternate route from Kalachowki was also jammed.
The repairs completed around 9:30 pm, post which both lanes were opened for light motor vehicles (LMV).
#TrafficUpdateMumbai The #LalbaugFlyover is now open for all light motor vehicles moving in both north & south bound traffic @RidlrMUM
— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 30, 2017
This is the second time in the last 3 months when the flyover had to be shut for traffic after the gap between the expansion joints widened. Before this, the flyover had been shut in November 10, 2016, when the BMC had carried out the repair work.
The 2.45 km flyover was built by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in 2011 at a cost of Rs 140 crore. It had come under scrutiny in 2012, when potholes started appearing on the then one-year-old flyover.
The recurring issues plaguing the flyover, used by thousands of motorists everyday, raise serious questions about the construction quality of the bridge and the repair work carried out by the civic body.
