Mumbai News: Century-Old Elphinstone Bridge Demolition Begins; MahaRail Seeks 82 Traffic Blocks For Reconstruction

The British-era Elphinstone Road Bridge, now Prabhadevi, has been shut due to safety concerns. Built over a century ago, it can no longer handle Mumbai’s growing transport demands and will be replaced with a modern double-decker flyover.

Traffic Diversions Cause Congestion

With the bridge closed from Friday night, traffic has been rerouted via Currey Road and nearby bridges, causing jams in Bharatmata, Lalbaug, Parel, Chinchpokli, and around Tilak Bridge in Dadar. BEST buses have also been diverted, adding to commuter woes.

MahaRail’s Reconstruction Plan

The Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail), appointed by MMRDA, has sought 82 traffic blocks from Central and Western Railways. These blocks, each lasting at least four hours, will be taken mainly at night to minimize disruption.

Heavy Machinery Deployed

Officials confirmed that two massive 800-metric-ton cranes will be used to dismantle the old structure. Despite the scale of demolition, railway authorities assured that train services on Western and Central lines would face no major disruption.

One-Year Completion Target

The project is expected to take about a year once approvals are finalized. Once the pillars are in place, officials expect faster progress, easing one of Mumbai’s most congested transport corridors.