On the night of September 4, 2024, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) successfully moved the iron girder on the southern side of the Gopal Krishna Gokhale Bridge, which connects Andheri East and West, by 25 meters over the railway section. This marks significant progress in moving the girder a total of 86 meters, with 25 meters completed.
"Following approval from the Western Railway administration and securing the next railway block, the remaining distance will be covered," said an official from BMC's Bridge Department. "Coordination with Western Railway is ongoing to ensure smooth progress."
The first phase of the bridge project, a vital link for Andheri’s traffic, was completed and opened to light vehicles on February 26, 2024. Now, the critical second phase, involving the installation of a second girder, is underway. The task of moving the girder began at 10 PM on September 4 and concluded at 5 AM on September 5.
“Installing this girder is a complex engineering challenge,” the official added. “M/s RITES Limited is overseeing the project under plans approved by Western Railway. Given the technical complexities and safety concerns, all work is done with proper railway traffic and power supply blocks in place.”
With 25 meters of the girder successfully moved, the remaining distance is expected to be easier to manage. The second phase of the bridge work is set to be completed by November 14, 2024, while the municipal approach roads are expected to be finished by April 30, 2025.
The girder’s components, fabricated in Ambala, were assembled on-site by August 24, 2024. Each girder measures 13.5 meters in width (three lanes in each direction) with a 1-meter footpath, spanning 90 meters in length, and weighs approximately 1,300 metric tons. Given the limited assembly space, a heavy-duty crane capable of 360-degree rotation was used to position the girder.
Once fully moved, the girder will be lowered from a height of 14-15 meters to 7.5 meters, after which final tasks such as crash barrier installation, road asphalting, and lane marking will be completed.
The project is progressing under technical supervision from M/s RITES Limited, in collaboration with Western Railway.