BMC to pay IIT Bombay Rs 12 lakh to audit unsafe bridges in Masjid Bandar and Matunga

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed to appoint the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) to conduct structural audits of four railway foot overbridges (FOBs) flagged as unsafe in Masjid Bandar and Matunga-Dharavi. The proposal, which is scheduled to be presented to the civic standing committee on July 1, seeks approval to pay the institute Rs 12 lakh in advance to carry out the independent assessments.

The safety initiative targets four pedestrian bridges built over railway tracks in south and central Mumbai. This includes two FOBs located at Masjid Bandar and another two at Matunga-Dharavi.

According to the civic administration, the railways had previously informed the BMC that these specific bridges are in a dangerous condition and require complete reconstruction. Before making a final decision on rebuilding them, the BMC proposed to conduct an independent structural assessment through IIT Bombay to determine the actual state of the structures.

This decision was formulated following directions issued by the additional municipal commissioner (projects) during a joint meeting with railway authorities on April 21 this year.

To expedite the safety assessment, the BMC has proposed appointing IIT Bombay directly without inviting competitive tenders. Under the amended Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, municipal works exceeding Rs 3 lakh are ordinarily required to undergo a competitive bidding process. However, the civic body chose to bypass this standard tendering process, citing the highly specialized nature of the structural assessment and the unique technical expertise of the institute. The advance payment of Rs 12 lakh will be used to fund the independent exercise.