MUMBAI: The much controversial Delisle Bridge in Mumbai's Lower Parel will be opened up fully to motorists on Thursday, November 23, by the two Mumbai guardian ministers Deepak Kesarkar (city) and MP Lodha (suburbs), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said.The ‘official’ opening of the bridge comes less than a week after local MLA Aaditya Thackeray, along with his party members, went and declared it open alleging that the BMC was awaiting for VIP’s to open it despite it being ready.The list of invitees also includes Thackeray.Speaking about it Kesarkar on Wednesday said, “There were only three-four days of work left.

The work of the brigade was ongoing for the past five years and it was only after our government took charge that the project gained pace.

On Thursday we will inaugurate the bridge and work for laying a footpath and installing an escalator will begin.”When asked about Thackeray opening up the bridge last week, Kesarkar said that he doesn’t want to inaugurate every project but what he felt bad about was that for the past five years when they were in power (referring to Aaditya Thackeray opening it) they couldn’t get the bridge inaugurated but at a time when works were still pending they went and tried to open it.Late on the night of November 16, in an unexpected move, Thackeray opened up Delisle Bridge along with several of his party persons.

In a post of X Thackeray had said, “Innaguration of Delisle bridge.

Don’t want VIP’s from Kholsa Sarkar while the public is suffering.”However, the opening met with a quick shutdown by BMC on November 17 morning.

The civic body said there can be no haste made in reopening the nodal bridge due to pending light testing and painting works, projecting a full opening by month-end.Watch: Pedestrians face stampede like situation at Mumbai Lower Parel's RoBThackeray in turn said that the BMC was only stooping low to please the ruling party ministers who want to open the bridge.

An FIR was filed on November 17 against Thackeray and MLCs Sachin Ahir and Sunil Shinde and also former Mumbai mayors Kishori Pednekar and Snehal Ambekar followinga police complaint made by BMC assistant engineer Purushottam Ingle at the NM Joshi Police station with regards to the full fledged opening of Lower Parel’s Delisle bridge.Mumbai: Tussle between stall owners and civic body hampers Delisle bridge workThe IPC sections applied in this case are 143 (unlawful assembly), 447 (criminal trespass), 336 (act of endangering life and safety of others), 149 (offence committed to achieve a common object).On November 21 again in a post on X Thackeray wrote, “Hi @mybmc please open up the Delisle Road bridge that you have kept shut to satisfy the egos of the mindhe- bjp Govt.

It has been ready for 15 days and you await a VIP inauguration.”ALL PHOTOS — SANJAY HADKAR