Andheri Bridge collapse: Who's at fault- BMC or Western Railways?
What's the story
On Tuesday, Mumbai woke up to an overbridge collapse in Andheri which left five injured. While thankfully there were no further injuries and/or casualties, maintenance records seem to suggest that the collapse was a result of negligence and could have been avoided. Both the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Western Railways (WR) seem to be complicit in the bridge's non-maintenance. Here's more.
Negligence
The BMC and the WR didn't carry out their responsibilities
Built in the 1970s, the now collapsed Gokhale bridge connected Andheri East to Andheri West. It had been in need of repairs for eight years, but records suggest both the Western Railways (WR) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed to act. The WR was responsible for maintaining the portion above the track and the BMC was responsible for maintaining the rest.
Repair payments
BMC paid WR for maintenance of the bridge
Records show that in 2010, the BMC paid WR Rs. 21.23 lakh for the repair of the overbridge, and again Rs. 1.71 lakh in 2011. However, after 2011, there was allegedly no communication between WR and BMC regarding the bridge. "We don't know if the repairs were carried out," said SO Kori, chief engineer, bridges, BMC.
More negligence
BMC was aware of repairs being needed
The negligence doesn't end here. A routine inspection carried out by the BMC two years ago had concluded that the girders of the bridge needed strengthening. Even today, two years after the investigation, the BMC is not even close to inviting contractors for the repair work. People living near the bridge said that it was repaired three years ago. The story repeats every year.