PUNE: The famous 187-year-old Amrutanjan Bridge near Lonavla is likely to be demolished by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) as it has become a death trap for motorists on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway.

Two years ago, the department had written to the Indian Railways, custodian of the bridge, seeking consent for its demolition.

According to MSRDC officials, the bridge, built by the British in 1830, has become a hindrance for traffic and the cause of regular accidents on the expressway. It became famous as the ‘Amrutanjan’ bridge thanks to a giant outdoor advertisement of the popular headache-relief balm Amrutanjan, which was put up on the facade of the bridge.

The MSRDC officials had invited suggestion and objections which were submitted in June 2017, following which a decision has been taken on razing the bridge.

The iconic bridge, often an attraction for tourists taking photographs of the picturesque Khandala ghat, causes much traffic chaos as pillars of the bridge come in the way of motorists, officials said. Tourists also often use the bridge as a backdrop for taking selfies.