Mumbai: BMC shuts down Lalbaug flyover after the expansion joints fall off.

Two months after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) bridges department repaired the expansion joints of the Lalbaug flyover, the rubber seals of the expansion joints fell off recently due to which the flyover was shut for three hours.

Calling it a 'minor technical glitch', the civic officials said that the flyover witnesses a high density of vehicles on a daily basis which has caused the expansion joints (used for joining the gaps of the bridges) to fall. 'The joints have rubber seals that are installed in order to fill the gap. Due to climatic change and influx of heavy vehicles on the flyover, the rubber seals grow weaker and sometimes fall off,' said S. Kori, Chief Engineer of Bridges department.

Previously, the flyover was shut in November after a similar problem occurred. Entry to the north bound lane and the south bound lane was closed which had also added on to the traffic on the Eastern Express Highway.

A senior civic official revealed that due to political pressure to complete the repair work of the flyover, the joints were inappropriately fixed in haste in November. The official added that the repair work requires time but because of the daily traffic of the city, carrying out the work is a tough task for the civic body.

Motorists that were heading towards the flyover were asked to take an alternate route which escalated the traffic on the road below the flyover. Yogesh Patil, a frequent commuter, said, “Cracks had appeared on the flyover due to which the traffic police had shut the entrance. After a while, light vehicles were allowed on the flyover.”

Moreover, the bridge has now come under the BMC for further repairs and senior civic officials said the repairs will be completely restored within three days.

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