Cracks Appear On Yet Another Bridge As Heavy Rain Batters Mumbai

Heavy rain has once again exposed the poor maintenance of railway footbridges in Mumbai. Within a week a third bridge has developed cracks. The bridge at Ghatkopar station was closed after cracks were seen on Saturday. On July 3, the southern end of the Andheri railway bridge collapsed, severely injuring a woman, who later died in the hospital. The next day, the bridge on Grant Road was closed after cracks were noticed. The bridge was later reopened after engineers inspected it and said they were superficial.

"This bridge is 40-50 years old and the condition of the bridge has been like this for the last four to five years," residents in Ghatkopar told NDTV. 

After complaints of poor condition of the bridge, the Ghatkopar east- west bridge was closed for vehicles since last night and auditors are set to visit the site soon sources told NDTV. 

Most local trains and a number of long distance ones of the Central railways pass under the bridge at Ghatkopar.

Roads under knee deep waters in Mumbai's Sion

In a letter dated July 7, the Central Railways has told the Mumbai civic authorities that the bridge is in bad condition and needs urgent repair works. All water pipelines, temporary shelters, phone and power cables must be shifted and leakages must be repaired the railways told the civic body.  

And as more unsteady bridges are exposed, heavy intermittent rain has added to owes of the Mumbaikars. Massive waterlogging has been reported in Sion, Ghatkopar, Colaba, Santa Cruz, Jogeshwari, Borivali and Goregaon. People were seen wading through knee deep waters in Sion and Ghatkopar.

The Indian Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rain in Mumbai and the entire Maharashtra till Wednesday. Heavy rain warning has also been issued for Goa, south Gujarat, Telangana and Karnataka.