Mumbai News: Andheri MLA Amit Satam's Persistent Efforts Lead To Successful Completion Of Gokhale Bridge Reconstruction

Mumbai: Often elected representatives are accused of giving into populist pressure from the public. However, Gokhale bridge episode had a different story to tell. When Andheri (east) MLA Amit Satam (49) came to know that the bridge, which provides a crucial link between either side of Andheri, was in a dangerous condition.

On July 3, 2018 the pedestrian portion of the bridge collapsed resulting in the death of three persons. Satam immediately took a stand that the bridge needs to be replaced. Several activists came down heavily on him and claimed that the bridge was "repairable."

However, Satam was worried about the huge loss of lives in the event of a collapse. He took up the matter with the BMC, which appointed a consultant to do a structural audit of the bridge and submit his report.

The report confirmed the worse fears of Satam. It said the bridge was in a dangerously dilapidated condition. Satam, who is a member of the ruling BJP, took up the matter with the then municipal commissioner I.S. Chahal and the state urban development department. Many warned him that he would become unpopular because of the utter chaos the dismantling of the bridge will entail. But Satam stood his ground.

He continuously followed up the project right from the period of tendering and the last day of completion. From 2018 to 2022 because of covid and other factors the project got majorly delayed.

There was a staggering 20-month delay before the work order was finally issued in March 2020. Despite this, actual construction work didn’t commence until November 2021, with lingering uncertainty over whether the section above the railway tracks would be rebuilt by the Railways or the BMC. Satam, Chahal, senior officials of the railways and BMC and guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha were all on a mission mode.

Alarmed by the structural findings, Satam immediately escalated the issue to the then Municipal Commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal. Recognising thA joint

A WhatsApp group formed by concerned local citizens, alongside the active involvement of Satam, maintained persistent pressure on authorities for 15 months to ensure that the project moved forward. Demolition of the old bridge began in January 2023, and after months of intensive work, construction of the new bridge commenced in March 2023.

Satam highlighted the importance of regular site visits to monitor progress, noting the significant contributions of then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who visited the site twice, further accelerating the project’s momentum.

"These combined efforts culminated in the opening of one arm of the bridge on February 26, 2024—just 15 months after its closure," Satam said. "Work on the second arm followed and has now been successfully completed. Today, both arms of the Gokhale Bridge are fully operational," he added.