MUMBAI, Feb. 14 -- The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has urged engineers in its bridge department to upgrade their technical skills in line with modern construction technologies to ensure safer and longer-lasting bridges across the city. The call was made by SC Gupta, former chief bridge engineer of Central Railway and Mumbai Metro Line 1, during a workshop organised to strengthen the civic body's bridge infrastructure capabilities. Gupta said that with rising traffic volumes, increasing structural stress, environmental challenges and heightened public expectations around safety, continuous skill enhancement has become essential. He emphasised the need to adopt advanced construction methods, modern materials and innovative repair technologies. Future projects, he said, must prioritise sustainability and long-term durability to meet urban demands. The bridge department is currently handling major projects involving construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of flyovers. Civic commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has consistently stressed the importance of maintaining the highest quality standards in bridge works. As part of this initiative, a brainstorming workshop for bridge engineers was held on February 12 at the engineering complex in Worli. Discussions covered structural durability, quality control, inspection systems, risk assessment, preventive maintenance and emergency repair strategies. Engineers were also advised to strictly implement national and international standards to ensure reliability and safety. Gupta noted that upgrading technical knowledge is directly linked to safety, smoother traffic and the stability of infrastructure. He called for training programmes to familiarise engineers with emerging technologies and stressed the need to factor in local conditions while planning maintenance strategies....