Mumbai: Byculla Cable-stayed Bridge Set To Open By March 2026; 80% Work Completed

Mumbai: After standing for over a century, Mumbai’s iconic 103-year-old Byculla ‘Y’ Bridge is set to get a modern replacement that promises to transform one of the city’s busiest transport corridors. The new Byculla Road Overbridge (ROB), a cable-stayed structure being built by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail), is now 80 per cent complete and will serve as a crucial east–west connector between South Mumbai, Dadar and the Eastern Express Highway.

When Will The Bridge Open For Public?

The Rs 287-crore project, which faced multiple logistical challenges and missed deadlines, is finally expected to open to the public by March 2026, MahaRail confirmed. A spokesperson said, “The work on raising the cable for the cable-stayed portion is in progress. The deck slab has been laid, and slab surface work is underway,” as quoted by the Times of India.

Initially targeted for completion in 2024, the project was later revised to June 2025 and October 2025, before settling on the current deadline. Despite delays, work progressed without disrupting traffic on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, a key arterial route through central Mumbai.

New Cable-stayed Bridge: An Engineering Marvel

The new 916-metre-long bridge will replace the 1922 ‘Y’-shaped structure, which was declared unsafe after an IIT-Bombay audit in 2018, following the Gokhale Bridge collapse. Designed with a single central pylon, the new bridge will feature four traffic lanes, doubling the capacity of the old one. It is envisioned not only as a functional connector but also as an architectural landmark, with its elegant cables and illuminated façade set to redefine the Byculla skyline.

Constructing the bridge has posed considerable engineering challenges due to its position over a densely populated market and active railway lines. MahaRail engineers strategically placed pylons to avoid encroachment on the MCGM market area, while the long cable span helps reduce foundations within the railway boundary to minimise disruption.

Features On New Byculla Bridge

In addition to improving traffic movement, the new bridge will integrate modern features, including a three-tier utility duct system for electrical and telecom cables, tri-colour LED illumination for national occasions and a selfie point offering panoramic city views.

The phased reconstruction, which began in December 2021, ensures minimal disruption, with new lanes being built parallel to the old bridge. Once complete, a section of the historic ‘Y’ bridge will be preserved and integrated into the new structure, merging Mumbai’s heritage with modern engineering.

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