Mumbai: The much-delayed Sion Railway Over Bridge (ROB) project has suffered another setback, with the launch of the first girder over the railway portion being delayed yet again. The fresh delay has pushed the project's completion deadline by at least another month, with the bridge now unlikely to be opened to traffic before August 15. The century-old bridge, a key east-west connector, has remained shut since August 2024, forcing thousands of commuters to endure longer travel times and traffic congestion.
The reconstruction of the Sion ROB is being jointly undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Central Railway (CR). While CR is executing the bridge works over the tracks, the BMC is constructing the approach roads, two pedestrian underpasses (PUPs) and related infrastructure. However, nearly two years after work began, the project remains incomplete, forcing pedestrians and vehicles to take long detours.
A senior Central Railway official denied any delay on the railways' part, stating that they had been informed that the BMC's preparatory work required for the railway block was incomplete and that the civic body had sought an additional 10 days. The official further said the contractor was unable to arrange the required crane and standby crane for the girder-launching operation, resulting in the latest postponement.
According to civic officials, the launch of the first girder over the railway portion, originally scheduled for April 30 and later revised to May 31, has been delayed further and is now expected to be completed by June 10. Similarly, the second girder launch, initially planned for June 20, has been pushed back to June 30, further extending the project's timeline. "Efforts are being made to minimise the impact of the delay by accelerating work on the BMC's portion of the project," official said.
Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (projects) said, "The approach road on the western side is expected to be completed by June 30, while work on the eastern approach can commence after the launch of the second girder. Once these works are completed, the bridge is expected to be opened to traffic by August 15.”
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Rajshree Shirwadkar, Education Committee Chairman and BJP corporater from Sion areas said, “The closure of the bridge has caused significant inconvenience to the public, particularly school children. The BMC should coordinate closely with the railways to expedite the remaining work and ensure that the bridge is opened at the earliest.” Officials from Central Railway could not be reached for comment on the delay and revised timeline.
Meanwhile, the cost of constructing the bridge has increased from Rs 42.8 crore to nearly Rs 50 crore due to the addition of steel girders and the development of approach roads.
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