AMC extends Ellis Bridge restoration project by six months; hikes budget

Ahmedabad: The restoration of the 1892-built Ellis Bridge over the Sabarmati is set to take longer and cost more than originally estimated. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has extended the bridge’s strengthening and restoration project by six months and increased the estimated cost from ₹26.9 crore to ₹42.9 crore — an escalation of ₹16 crore.

The project, which began on September 11, 2024, was initially scheduled for completion by March 2026. With the revised timeline, the work is now expected to continue until September 2026. So far, approximately 78% of the work has been completed, and the remaining strengthening is planned to be finished before the next monsoon, according to the AMC Standing Committee. The committee approved the cost escalation and deadline extension proposal during its meeting on Thursday.

In addition, AMC has sanctioned an extra ₹21.6 crore for the replacement of elastomeric bearings and lifting operations on Gandhi Bridge, Sardar Bridge, and Parikshitlal Majmudar Bridge.