Mumbai: BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) Clash Over Naming Vidyavihar East-West Connector After Nana Patekar Or Captain Smit Machchhar

Mumbai, October 17, 2026: A controversy has emerged over the proposed naming of the newly constructed Vidyavihar East-West connector near Vidyavihar railway station, with Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP proposing different names for the structure.

Parties Propose Different Names For Bridge

Days after BJP MLA Parag Shah proposed naming the bridge after Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian commercial pilot credited with thwarting a mid-air hijacking attempt on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight, Shiv Sena (UBT) activists put up a banner demanding that it be named “Padma Shri Nana Patekar Setu”.

Earlier, former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Tukaram Patil, in a letter to Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Mayor Ritu Tawde, had demanded that the bridge be named after actor Nana Patekar.

“We strongly demand that the bridge be named after Padma Shri Nana Patekar, a son of Maharashtra who has left an indelible mark on Marathi theatre, Marathi cinema and Indian cinema through his acting, and has made a significant contribution to helping farmers and the underprivileged through the Naam Foundation,” Patil said.

Leader of the House Ganesh Khankar accused the Sena (UBT) of politicising the issue to claim credit for the naming proposal. “Nana Patekar is one of the most talented actors in the country. I feel it would be more appropriate to name a major theatre or theatre complex after him rather than a bridge,” Khankar said.

Flyover To Improve East-West Connectivity

The 613-metre-long, four-lane Vidyavihar flyover will connect Ramkrishna Chemburkar Marg in the east with Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg in the west, while providing direct pedestrian access to Vidyavihar railway station.

The connector is expected to cut peak-hour travel time between the eastern and western parts of the suburb from 40–45 minutes to 10–15 minutes and ease congestion along the Vidyavihar-Ghatkopar-Kurla corridor.

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Built over Central Railway tracks, the flyover features a 100-metre railway span, with each girder weighing approximately 1,100 metric tonnes. Its approach roads measure 220 metres on the eastern side and 330 metres on the western side.

The project also includes links connecting the bridge to station footpaths and the reconstruction of ticket booking offices, the station master's office and staircases, the BMC said.

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