In a significant milestone in the bridge-construction history of the country, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday connected the Mumbai Coastal Road (MCR) with the existing Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL) using ‘tidal wave conditions’ in the Arabian Sea.

The breakthrough, which was achieved between 2 am and 3.25 am, involved the installation of a gigantic 136 metre-long Bow Arch String Girder, made of steel, weighing around 2000 tonnes, linking the two important routes in south Mumbai, through India’s biggest ‘arch bridge’.

The installation of girder, which is 18-21 meter wide, was witnessed by Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, Additional Municipal Commissioner Dr. Amit Saini and other officials

The girder commenced its voyage on a 25,000 tonne-barge from Mazagon Docks on Wednesday at 12.30 pm and reached the Worli bay at 4 am the next day, awaiting the further process.

Keeping a close watch on the prevailing tidal conditions there, the work of setting up the girder was taken up at 2 am on Friday, it was gradually brought to the midpoint of the MCR and the BWSL on the barge, and expertly stabilised amid the sea waves and the winds to ensure optimal conditions for the final set-up.

For the purpose, the BMC’s  engineering teams had set up four ‘mating units’, two each on the MCR and the BWSL measuring 2 metre and 1.8 metres cones, and they were precisely mated at 3.25 am, completing the connectivity.

The achievement was greeted by  a huge round of applause, cheers and shouts of ‘hip hip hurray’.