Mumbai: The Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) have directed the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) to expedite construction of the double-decker road over bridge (ROB) that will replace the British-era Elphinstone Bridge in central Mumbai.
Full Bridge To Complete By September
The lower deck of the bridge has reportedly been targeted for completion by April this year, while the upper deck is expected to be ready by September, according to a Hindustan Times report. According to a senior MMRDA official, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also serves as MMRDA chairman, recently reviewed the project with MRIDC officials and issued clear instructions to speed up work. The official said the revised timeline is crucial to ensure that the Sewri–Worli Connector project does not face further delays.
What Is The Current Work Update?
At present, MRIDC is dismantling portions of the century-old steel Elphinstone Bridge that pass over Western Railway tracks. The work is being carried out during three-hour night blocks when train services are suspended. Cranes have been deployed at both ends of the bridge, while welders are cutting and removing dismantled steel girders near the railway tracks.
Once dismantling over the Western Railway section is completed, work will begin on removing the portion of the bridge above Central Railway tracks. The new double-decker ROB, spanning 132 metres, will form a key link in the Sewri–Worli Connector corridor.
According to the report, sources within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority said coordination issues between MRIDC, Central Railway and Western Railway have contributed to delays, particularly in approvals, block timings and execution planning. Initially, MRIDC had proposed completing the lower deck by September, but MMRDA pressed for an April deadline to avoid cascading delays.
What Are The Issues Causing Delay?
MRIDC officials said the Central Railway portion of the bridge was handed over to them on November 7, 2025, while the Western Railway section was handed over on December 30, 2025. An MRIDC official stated that although the sanctioned project timeline is 365 days, efforts are being made to complete the entire bridge by September 2026.
However, officials also flagged a dispute with the railways over charges for work on railway premises. The railways have reportedly demanded Rs 106 crore as way-leave and related charges, a figure MRIDC considers excessive given the total project cost of Rs 167 crore.
Residents Facing Issues Due To Ongoing Project
Meanwhile, the project has also affected residents in Prabhadevi West. The MMRDA has rejected demands from 83 project-affected families to be accommodated under a nearby cluster redevelopment scheme or to waive charges for additional space in rehabilitation units.
These families, whose buildings will be demolished for the project, have been allotted MHADA homes in areas including Elphinstone Road, Dadar, Wadala, Antop Hill, Jacob Circle and Sewri. Officials clarified that since the new units are larger than their existing homes, residents will have to pay Rs 12–20 lakh for the additional area, with no waiver planned. One of the affected buildings is expected to be vacated and demolished soon to allow construction of a bridge pillar at the site.
In January, L&T Realty Developers Limited acquired the 1.34-acre Khatri Estate, located near the two project-affected buildings, for Rs 448.6 crore to build a commercial complex. According to local residents, the company has begun efforts to purchase nearby residential buildings and is currently surveying existing structures and families in the area.
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