25,000-ton girder connecting Mumbai's coastal road and sea link installed

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has successfully installed a massive 25,000-ton girder that connects the southbound corridor of Mumbai's coastal road to the Bandra Worli Sea Link. The civic body announced the achievement on Friday, stating that the installation process for the bow-string-arch-type girder, spanning 136 metres, began at 2 am and concluded at 3.25 am.

According to the BMC, this engineering milestone marks the first time in India that such a large girder has been installed over the sea. The girder, which is 18 to 21 metres wide, will connect the 10.5-kilometre stretch of the coastal road to the Bandra Worli Sea Link, ensuring seamless traffic flow between these major routes. The southbound corridor of the coastal road, which runs between Worli and Marine Lines, was opened for traffic on March 11, but had not yet been connected to the sea link.

In anticipation of the connection, BMC also noted that another girder, measuring 143 metres in length and 26 to 29 metres in width, has arrived at Nhava Sheva port and is scheduled for installation by the end of May. The transportation of this second girder will be planned following the successful launch of the first girder.

To ensure the longevity of the structure and minimize disruptions for local fishing boats off the Worli coast, the BMC has treated the girders with anti-rust coatings to protect them from saline water and humidity. These measures aim to maintain the structure's integrity and minimize the impact on surrounding maritime activities.

"With the success of this first-of-its-kind experiment in India, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation added a new feather in its cap," the BMC said in its statement. This achievement reflects the BMC's ongoing efforts to enhance Mumbai's infrastructure and improve connectivity across the city.

ET