The closure of the Elphinstone Road overbridge in South Central Mumbai, scheduled for February 2025, is set to cause significant traffic disruption over a two-year period. The bridge, which serves as a vital connection between Parel and Prabhadevi spanning the Central and Western Railway tracks, will be dismantled and reconstructed as part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s or the MMRDA Sewri-Worli Connector project. Here are all of the other important details that you would need to know about this particular road closure.
Elphinstone Road To Be Shut For Two Years Come February
According to an article that was recently published by the Free Press Journal or the FPJ, the ambitious redevelopment plan includes transforming the structure into a double-decker flyover. This will enhance connectivity between Senapati Bapat Road and Dr. BR Ambedkar Road.
The upgraded bridge will also feature direct links to both the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link at Sewri and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link or the BWSL at Worli. The MMRDA initially contemplated constructing an underground passage beneath the railway tracks to circumvent railway approval delays.
However, this alternative was ultimately dismissed. The Elphinstone Bridge closure marks the fifth British-era bridge in Mumbai to be decommissioned, following the closures of Sion ROB, Carnac Bridge, Bellasis Bridge and Reay Road Bridge.
Will Alternative Routes And Traffic Diversions Be Sufficient?
During the closure, vehicular traffic will be redirected to alternative routes via Tilak Bridge in Dadar and Currey Road Bridge. However, these diversions are expected to exacerbate the existing congestion on these already heavily trafficked routes.
This will be the case more so during peak hours. The additional burden on these alternative routes is likely to significantly increase journey times for Mumbai’s commuters. Whilst the long-term benefits of the modernisation project are clear, the immediate impact of the closure presents a considerable challenge for the city’s transportation network.
It is already under strain from previous bridge closures in various parts of Mumbai.
Will you or someone you know be impacted by the closure of this major road? Let us know in the comments section below!
Cover Image Credits: @rajivanand and @TheMuteGuy/X (Formerly, Twitter)
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