Gokhale bridge, which is an important link between Andheri East and West, will be closed for traffic from Monday morning for at least two years while the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) begins demolition and reconstruction of the bridge. Mumbai police have issued instructions on alternate routes to be taken by the public but suspect that it will take a few days for everyone to get to know them.
Reconstruction of the 47-year-old rail overbridge aims to smoothen vehicular traffic between Western Express Highway (WEH) and Andheri (West) and Juhu areas. BMC and WR are the implementing agency for the reconstruction project, the total cost of which is Rs 103 crore plus revisions, subject to Railway clearances
The alternate routes for motorists are Khar subway and Milan subway in Khar, Captain Gore flyover Bridge (Parle Bridge) in Vile Parle, Andheri subway in Andheri, Balasaheb Thackeray flyover in Jogeshwari, and Mrunaltai Gore flyover in Goregaon. BJP legislator Ameet Satam, from Andheri, in a letter to BMC chief Iqbal Singh Chahal, had demanded that the bridge be closed with immediate effect.A portion of the bridge had collapsed in 2018, killing two people and injuring three others. It was later revealed that the collapsed portion of the bridge came under the jurisdiction of the Western Railways (WR).