Mumbai: After opening the Vikhroli rail overbridge over the past weekend, the BMC is now gearing up to open the Carnac bridge in South Mumbai by next week.The construction of the bridge is almost complete, and the BMC carried out a load test between June 13 and 15. The civic body expects the clearances to come in by this week and is looking to open this bridge by the start of next week, said officials. The new bridge will serve as a vital connector between South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs, linking commuters to the Eastern Freeway and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, which connects to Navi Mumbai.A BMC official said, “The traffic police will also carry out an inspection, which is a routine process after the construction of a new bridge, and following a nod, we will be ready to open the bridge to motorists.”Meanwhile, a day after a TOI report on Vikhroli’s newly opened bridge, which is a two-way bridge with three lanes and no footpath, the BMC said, “During the planning phase, the eastern approach road near Vikhroli station measured approximately 16 to 18 metres in width. On the western side, an 18.3-metre-wide Development Plan (DP) road existed but was encroached upon, significantly reducing its usable width. Furthermore, as per the norms prescribed by the Chief Fire Officer (CFO), a minimum 6-metre-wide slip road was required for emergency vehicle access, thereby further constraining the design width of the ROB. Considering these spatial limitations, a decision was taken to construct a 12-metre-wide bridge without footpaths, as the inclusion of footpaths would have narrowed the vehicular carriageway and impeded traffic flow.”Further, the civic body also said that the newly completed ROB is a three-lane structure, and the Mumbai Traffic Police has been entrusted with regulating vehicular flow. “Depending on traffic volume, two lanes are being allocated in the direction of heavier flow, ensuring smooth transit and optimal road usage for commuters,” said a BMC statement.