Mumbai : The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has once again issued a safety advisory ahead of Ganeshotsav 2025, cautioning devotees against crowding on 12 structurally unsafe bridges during processions and immersions.
Most of these bridges, located over railway lines, have been flagged as vulnerable to heavy loads. The civic body has imposed strict prohibitions, banning the use of loudspeakers, dancing, and singing on these bridges.
The 10-day Ganesh festival, to be celebrated from August 27 to September 6, will see massive public participation across the city. The BMC has emphasized that devotees should cross the unsafe bridges quickly and avoid lingering to prevent accidents.
According to the bridge department, structures such as the Curry Road Station Bridge, Sane Guruji Marg (Arthur Road) Bridge, Chinchpokli Railway Station Bridge, and P.S. Mandlik Bridge at Byculla must not bear loads exceeding 16 tonnes at any given time, including pedestrians, devotees, and vehicles.
Despite restrictions being imposed since 2019, authorities noted little improvement in the condition of these bridges. However, officials clarified that while the structures are not in imminent danger of collapse, precautionary measures are essential. Police deployment has also been planned to ensure crowd control during processions.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has already handed over these bridges to the BMC, and the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute has been tasked with structural inspections. Based on their recommendations, tenders have been floated, and repair works are being carried out in phases.
List of Unsafe Bridges:
Central Railway ROBs: Ghatkopar, Curry Road, Arthur Road, Chinchpokli, Byculla, Sandhurst Road (between Grant Road and Churni Road).
Western Railway ROBs: Marine Lines, French Bridge (Grant Road–Charni Road), Kennedy Bridge (Grant Road–Churni Road), Falkland (Grant Road–Mumbai Central), Mahalakshmi Station, Prabhadevi-Carol, Lokmanya Tilak ROB at Dadar.
