Daijiworld Media Network (SD)

Mumbai, Apr 3: The Amrutanjan bridge in Lonavala connecting Mumbai and Pune has received green signal for demolition amidst lockdown. The process will be carried out on Saturday, April 4 with the controlled blast an official said.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) received permission from the Raigad district collector to carry out the demolition plan between April 1 and 14.

Taking advantage of the reduced traffic due to lockdown the authorities proceeded towards approving the plan of bringing down the 187-year-old structure, the official said.

Following this decision, the traffic diversion of both the lanes would be brought back to normalcy on the 10 km long highway. For the past several years the Amrutanjan bridge was shut due to its condition making it unfit for vehicles to ply.

As the custodian of the bridge, the MSRDC first sought permission from the railways for the demolition then they approached the district collector and finally received the permission from the state highway police for security and traffic regulation. The bridge was built by the British in 1830 and has recorded many accidents in the past.