Mumbai Coastal Road: Bandra-Worli Sea Link Gap Set To Close By 16-17 April

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to launch a crucial 120-metre girder with a bowstring arch to connect the southbound arm of the Mumbai coastal road with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link by 16 or 17 April.

This critical connection involves eight girders bridging the gap between the coastal road's Worli end and the sea link on both the southbound and northbound arms. The bridge, spanning 850 metres in total, with 270 metres made of steel and the rest concrete, is a significant component of the coastal road project.

M M Swami, deputy chief engineer of the coastal road project, highlighted the challenges posed by the rocky seabed, making conventional erection methods impractical.

Instead, the girder assembly, taking place at Nhava village jetty, will be loaded onto a barge for transportation to the Worli site, aiming for arrival by 15-16 April, subject to weather conditions. The arch bridge, once transported, will be positioned on the pier by 16-17 April.

AECOM, BMC's general consultant for the south coastal road project, facilitated discussions and design adjustments in response to public concerns, leading to the decision to revise the navigation span from 60 to 120 metres.

Arvind Singh, project manager of the HCC-Hyundai Development Corporation Joint Venture responsible for construction, highlighted the structural complexity. The design, entrusted to the DM Engineering-Spectrum consortium, features a composite deck and varied span lengths, including the 120-metre arch.

Vipul Surana, team leader at AECOM, emphasised the importance of favourable weather conditions for the lifting operation, necessitating adequate lighting and safety measures.

Bandra-Worli Sea Link

The Bandra-Worli Sea Link spans 5.6 kilometres and comprises two main sections: the 600-metre-long single-tower cable-stayed Bandra Bridge, featuring 250-metre main spans, and the 350-metre-long Worli Bridge.

Both bridges are supported by a single central tower, with main cable-stayed spans of 150 metres. The bridge accommodates eight lanes of traffic, including two designated for buses, traversing across twin precast concrete box girder bridge decks.

Mumbai Coastal Road

The 10.58 km long coastal road connects Nariman Point in South Mumbai with the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) at Worli through a series of roads and underground tunnels. The coastal road is being built on reclaimed land with an aim to decongest traffic.

As the BMC navigates the intricacies of construction, this milestone marks a significant step forward in enhancing connectivity and urban infrastructure in Mumbai.