People power wins in Mumbai: Sion bridge demolition paused until alternative route is ready

The bridge has been shut down for more than six months. Pics/Atul Kamble

The Central Railway (CR) on Thursday clarified that it will not completely demolish the Sion bridge until an east-west pedestrian footbridge is constructed. While the public toilet on the east side has been removed and the BEST undertaking has pulled out its cables, only the eastbound lane of the bridge will be fully dismantled. The westbound lane will remain operational until the foot overbridge is in place. Elected representatives, activists, and local leaders had strongly opposed the demolition without an alternative route.

Elected representatives, activists, and local leaders had strongly opposed the demolition without an alternative route. Schools like Our Lady of Good Counsel and Sadhana Vidyalaya are located near Sion station, and with the bridge partially shut, students now have to walk further to board their school buses and vans.

"The BEST bus depot is in Sion West, and many commuters from the east side rely on these buses. A complete disconnection would have caused major inconvenience, which is why a pedestrian bridge is necessary," said local activist Anna Modgil.

"A 56-metre-long and 3-metre-wide foot overbridge is being planned to replace the existing road bridge, ensuring continued access for commuters, including students travelling to and from Dharavi," said a CR official.

Current state of the pedestrian pathway (right) proposed landing site for the FOB. Pics/Atul Kamble

The new bridge will be located at the south end of the existing structure. However, the Railways are awaiting clearance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), as 120 square metres of land leased by the BMC for 99 years will be required.

Why bridge being demolished

The 110-year-old bridge, which connects the Eastern Express Highway to Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road and Dharavi Road, was declared dangerous years ago. The IIT bridge audit report of 2020 had warned that the structure was in a dilapidated condition, posing a serious risk.

The CR and the BMC will jointly reconstruct the bridge, eliminating support spans over railway tracks to create space for two additional railway lines under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).

The current railway bridge span of 40 metres will be expanded to 51 metres. mid-day had earlier reported how four trees and a toilet block delayed the bridge's demolition, followed by the eventual removal of the obstacles and the latest developments in the demolition process.