Elphinstone Bridge: Final Phase Demolition Of Mumbai's 113-Year-Old Connector Begins Tonight; New Double-Decker Flyover To Replace Soon

Mumbai: The final stretch of the 113-year-old Elphinstone Bridge will be dismantled on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, marking the end of a colonial-era structure and paving the way for a major infrastructure upgrade in the city.

The demolition is part of the larger plan to construct the 4.5-km-long Worli-Sewri Elevated Connector, with a double-decker bridge set to replace the century-old structure. The project is being executed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

The portion of the bridge above railway tracks is being handled by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation, a joint venture between the Maharashtra government and the Union Railway Ministry. Authorities said the dismantling was necessary to facilitate both the widening and height increase of the bridge, as well as to accommodate the elevated corridor that will pass above it.

The bridge, a vital east-west connector linking areas around Prabhadevi railway station and Parel railway station, has long served commuters travelling across central Mumbai. Plans are underway to replace it with a modern double-decker structure, aimed at improving traffic flow and connectivity.

Earlier, the section of the bridge over the Western Railway lines was successfully removed. The remaining portions crossing the Central Railway tracks are scheduled for demolition during designated night blocks to minimise disruption.

Special Railway Blocks Announced For Smooth Dismantling

According to officials, special traffic and power blocks have been sanctioned between Parel and Currey Road stations for the dismantling work. “Special traffic and power blocks for dismantling the panels of the Elphinstone Road overbridge between Parel and Currey Road stations have been issued for Thursday-Friday and Friday-Saturday nights,” said Swapnil Nila, chief public relations officer of Central Railway, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

The block period will be from 12:30 am to 4:30 am on both nights. During this time, the movement of several outstation trains will be affected. Trains such as the Bhubaneswar–CSMT Konark Express, Howrah–CSMT Mail, and Mangaluru–CSMT Express will be diverted between Matunga and Byculla stations and will halt twice at Dadar station.

The Elphinstone Bridge was shut to vehicular traffic on September 12, 2025, following which its approach roads were dismantled over the next few months. Originally built in 1913 by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the bridge connected Parel with Prabhadevi-Worli and was named after Lord Elphinstone, then governor of the Madras Presidency.

With its final phase of demolition underway, the project signals a transition from colonial infrastructure to a modern transport network designed to meet Mumbai’s growing demands.

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