Eastern Express Highway

Amar Mahal

Chembur

Public Works Department

Mumbai

Eastern Freeway

North-bound carriageway closed to traffic as some joints are slipping; PWD ropes in IIT for help as the company that had constructed the structure has wound up operationsBe prepared for traffic jams this week if you take theto commute. The north-bound carriageway of theflyover inhas been closed to traffic since Saturday as some of the joints of the structure are slipping. The state(PWD) has now roped in the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) for help as the company which constructed the structure, Quadracon, has wound up operations.The piling concrete structures were constructed by Simplex and the main part of the bridge ­ Quadracon type steel super structure ­ was made by Quadracon Pvt Ltd.There are only two bridges in the state which were constructed with Quadracon technology.Traffic police first noticed on Friday that two joints of the flyover had slipped. They took the decision to close the north-bound carriageway for heavy vehicles. But on Saturday, when the engineers of PWD inspected it, they found that it was a cause of concern and asked for total stoppage of traffic on northern carriageway. The road is a vital link as it connectswith Thane, Nashik and is an important part of the Eastern Express Highway. Now, both the up and down traffic has to use the south bound carriageway. Heavy vehicles are not allowed on the flyover and have to use the road below.Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Sudhir Ranshevare said that he anticipates major traffic jams from Monday onwards. “There are three more cracks. The northbound carriageway is closed now. We have put extra staff, but we anticipate major jams,“ he said.B Khatale, Senior Inspector of Police at Suman Nagar traffic division said that the PWD never maintained the bridge and the traffic police had to suffer.On Sunday, PWD's Superintending Engineer S Patil, Executive Engineer Satish Shravage and Professor Ravi Sinha of IIT inspected the bridge.Professor Sinha said that he had recommended intermediate measures to deal with the issue. “I have told them not to allow any traffic below the affected part. Public safety is important. Small pieces can fall and it is dangerous when things fall from such a height.We have to do technical evaluation which will take a day or two.“R Mehta, a resident of Tilaknagar who travels from CST to Tilaknagar daily said that he would take thefrom Monday to avoid traffic jam on the Eastern Express Highway.