Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 15: Mumbai could soon see the opening of three major bridges on the same day, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) awaiting the availability of a VIP for their inauguration, civic officials said.
The 1.26-km Dindoshi court-to-Film City flyover, part of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR), and the Vidyavihar bridge are ready for use, while finishing work is nearing completion on the Sion Railway Overbridge (ROB).
A civic official clarified on Wednesday that the BMC had not announced an inauguration date for any of the three bridges. Another official said the GMLR and Vidyavihar bridges had been handed over by the contractor before their September deadlines, while the Sion bridge was nearing completion four months ahead of its February 2027 deadline.
“All three are expected to be inaugurated on a single day,” an official said.
The Sion ROB is a joint project of the BMC and Central Railway. Its reopening is eagerly awaited by commuters who have faced disruptions since the bridge was closed for reconstruction.
A senior civic official said some finishing work was still under way at the three bridges and that an opening date would be announced within two days. The official added that it was not yet confirmed who would attend the inauguration.
The delay has drawn criticism from commuters and activists, who have urged the authorities to open the bridges as soon as they are safe for public use.
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, writing on X, said the Sion bridge should be opened at the earliest if it was ready, pointing to the hardship caused to commuters by its closure.
Transport and traffic analyst Jagdeep Desai said delays in opening public infrastructure reflected poorly on the authorities. He suggested that inaugurations could be held virtually if the chief guest was unable to attend in person.
RTI activist Anil Galgali said he had been informed by an official that all three bridges were ready and that the BMC was waiting for the Chief Minister’s availability. Activist Zoru Bhathena also urged the civic body to open the bridges without further delay.
Meanwhile, the BMC has set December 31, 2027, as the target for completing the 1.75-km Juhu-Vile Parle Development Scheme (JVPD) flyover. The structure will connect the end of the CD Barfiwala flyover in Andheri West to the Juhu-Versova Link Road.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar inspected the project on Wednesday and reviewed construction progress, traffic management and timelines. He directed officials to speed up the work and open the flyover to traffic by December 31, 2027, ahead of its scheduled March 2028 deadline.
The flyover is expected to bypass five major traffic junctions and reduce peak-hour travel time along the route from around 45 minutes to approximately 20 minutes.