Amrutanjan Bridge to demolish amid COVID-19 lockdown

The historic Amrutanjan Bridge, near Lonavala, which links Mumbai and Pune, will be demolished with a controlled blast on Saturday, an official said on Friday.

The Raigad district collector has granted permission to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) to carry out the demolition work between April 4 to 14, he said.

As traffic on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway has reduced significantly since the COVID-19 lockdown, the authorities granted permission to raze the 187-year-old structure, the official said.

Traffic diversions will be put in place on both lanes of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on the 10-km stretch, he said.

The Amrutanjan Bridge has been shut for vehicular traffic for the last several years, as it is in a dilapidated condition.

The MSRDC had earlier written to the Railways, who are custodians of the bridge, seeking consent for its demolition and had also approached the district collector and state highway police to provide security and regulate traffic, he said.

The bridge, which was built by the British in 1830, has often been blamed for causing traffic snarls and accidents on the route, he said.