All you need to know about Elphinstone bridge closure

An aerial view of the century-old Elphinstone road overbridge on January 31. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Even as the Mumbai traffic police are still mulling over the logistics and dates of closure of the arterial Elphinstone bridge, taking into consideration all demands and appeals, Dadar residents have reminded the authorities of an earlier planned "development project" road, crossing over the rail lines, between Dadar and Parel-Prabhadevi stations. Locals say that if this road were opened first, the pressure on traffic after closure of the Prabhadevi road would be eased to a great extent.

A 3D representation of the new structure. The bottom deck will retain east-west connectivity while the upper one will be linked to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu

While we welcome the double-decker bridge at Prabhadevi station, we are deeply concerned that the expected road diversions and delays during construction will severely impact commuters and worsen congestion in Dadar. The razing and reconstruction of Elphinstone bridge will put immense strain on the already overburdened road network in Dadar. To prevent severe traffic disruptions, we strongly urge the expedited construction of the DP Road before any demolition work begins," Chetan Kamble of ChakaChak Dadar organisation said.

A 3D representation of the new structure. The bottom deck will retain east-west connectivity while the upper one will be linked to the MTHL

He added, "The traffic police department has endorsed the need for this DP Road, recognising its role in alleviating congestion. Thousands of daily commuters, residents, and businesses have been demanding its immediate construction to prevent extended travel times, pollution and road safety risks. Given these pressing concerns, we strongly urge the BMC to prioritise and expedite the construction of this road before commencing the demolition of Elphinstone bridge. This will ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent severe disruptions in one of Mumbai's busiest transit hubs," he said, demanding a clear timeline for the commencement and completion of this crucial project.

Where is the new road?

The new road would link Hindmata junction in Dadar East to the Pramod Mahajan garden in Dadar West. It is about 700-800 metres long and 60 feet wide and reduces dependence on the Tilak and Elphinstone bridges to decongest Hindmata Junction, Dadar TT Circle and Senapati Bapat Marg, ensuring smooth movement of vehicles, especially during peak hours, serving as a crucial alternative route for emergency services, buses and commercial vehicles during the bridge reconstruction.

Three bodies are involved in the construction: the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which is looking after the residents and locals affected due to the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge; the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Authority (MMRDA), which has planned the bridge and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MRIDC).

‘Postponement demolition'

Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, "Yesterday [Thursday], I requested the MMRDA official to postpone the demolition of Elphinstone bridge from February to April as thousands of students taking the board exams would be inconvenienced. Also, due to the absence of Sion bridge, the excessive load would be transferred to Tilak bridge and Delisle Road Bridge. I have requested the MMRDA to issue public notices on time and coordinate with traffic police and BMC to ensure diversions and the smooth flow of traffic."

Features of new bridge

The 132-metre-long double-decker bridge will be of 2+2 lanes at a height of 27 metres and pass through the most congested localities of central Mumbai. While the lower deck, which has a footpath, will ensure east-west connectivity, the upper one, which lacks a footpath, will cater to the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL).

The estimated cost of the structure is Rs 167.35 crore and, after receiving all necessary approvals, it is expected to be completed in approximately a year. The project involves dismantling the existing bridge using two 800-metric-tonne cranes - one of the most challenging aspects of the construction. This task will be executed without disrupting the suburban train services of both the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR), as the work will take place over running railway tracks.

The Sewri-Worli connector

The MMRDA is implementing work related to the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector. The proposed link is a four-lane (2+2) elevated corridor about 4.5 km in length. The project includes the construction of two road overbridges, one at Sewri station across the harbour line and the other at Prabhadevi across the Central and Western Railway lines.

This link will provide direct connectivity between the MTHL, Bandra Worli Sea Link and Coastal Road project on the west coast of Mumbai. The project alignment starts from the Sewri interchange of the MTHL on the east side of Sewri railway station, runs along Acharya Donde Marg, Jagannath Bhatankar Marg and joins the Narayan Hardikar Marg near Worli Sea Face.

Those commuting from Navi Mumbai to Central and South Mumbai will benefit from this, which is expected to disperse about 15 to 20 per cent of vehicular traffic on the MTHL. To date, about 60 per cent of the project work is completed.