- By Deeksha Gour
- Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:08 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai Elphinstone Bridge: Mumbai’s Elphinstone road over bridge (ROB), an important east-west link in central Mumbai, is expected to shut down for demolition soon after the Ganapati festival. Traffic authorities have proposed September 10 as the tentative date for closure, but the plan will go ahead only after approval from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumbhare.
The British-era structure, more than 125 years old, connects Parel and Prabhadevi and runs over the Prabhadevi and Parel railway stations, which together cater to nearly 5–7 lakh daily commuters, according to the RTO. The bridge was earlier scheduled for demolition by February 2025 but the process was pushed back due to objections from local residents and later because of school board examinations.
Authorities plan to replace the existing bridge with a double-decker structure that will allow smoother travel for a larger number of commuters. Once MMRDA gives its clearance, traffic police will close the bridge and introduce alternate routes to handle the heavy daily traffic in the area, as per a Hindustan Times report.
The Elphinstone bridge is surrounded by residential blocks, schools and office complexes and also lies close to major hospitals like Tata Memorial and KEM Hospital. The closure is expected to impact thousands of patients and daily visitors, making traffic management around the area a priority.
Earlier this year, officials from MMRDA, the traffic police and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation met to discuss the demolition plan. Though the project received an in-principle agreement, officials noted that several details still need to be resolved.
The bridge will eventually be integrated with other key infrastructure projects, including the elevated Sewri-Worli connector, making it an essential link in Mumbai’s transport network.