Byculla to Sion, work on 5 key bridges throws island city traffic out of gear

MUMBAI: Ongoing work on five key bridges in south and central Mumbai has disrupted traffic in the island city. The closure of the Sion and Elphinstone Road flyovers, and the partial closure of Parel TT flyover have diverted traffic onto already congested roads below, resulting in long delays and bottlenecks; narrower connecting roads, where motorists move at a snail’s pace, are witnessing heavier congestion.

Similarly, work on widening the flyovers along Byculla and Dadar stations has narrowed the underlying carriageways, leading to severe traffic jams and inconveniencing pedestrians as construction material and debris lie on encroached footpaths. Also, a key pathway for pedestrians under Byculla flyover near Gloria Church has been closed. A traffic police officer said conditions will improve once Sion ROB reopens in mid-Aug.

Traffic disruptions begin at Byculla (East), where work outside the station on Byculla flyover widening is underway. Pedestrians too take a detour. Further north, one side of Parel TT flyover is shut for repairs, and Elphinstone Road flyover is being reconstructed.

Finally, the closure of Sion bridge has disrupted connectivity between south Mumbai and the eastern suburbs. RTI activist Anil Galgali said car drivers heading to south Mumbai largely rely on Sion and Parel bridges. "Both projects should not have been undertaken simultaneously. It has led to severe congestion," he said.

On Parel TT flyover, work is under way on the northbound arm of Babasaheb Ambedkar Road. "Vehicles headed for Dadar are directed to the slip road at Parel TT," said a traffic police officer. The slip road is narrow and cannot accommodate large volumes of traffic. Police found that the northbound stretch is busiest between 4pm and 10pm. "So during this period, northbound traffic is diverted via the southbound carriageway of the flyover and then redirected back to the northbound route at Hindmata, in addition to using the slip road," the official said. As the northbound arm may be completed next week, police will use the northbound carriageway to divert southbound vehicles between 7am and 4pm. On Tilak bridge, police have prohibited heavy vehicles to ease congestion. Large vehicles are being diverted from Sion Hospital Junction.

The Sion bridge project cost has also escalated from Rs 42.8 crore to nearly Rs 50 crore. At the same time, BMC has launched structural strengthening and repair work on Parel TT flyover. Officials say repairs may be completed by May 31. Civic officials say the century-old Sion bridge outside the station, which was shut for reconstruction in Aug 2024, is now targeted for completion by Aug 15 this year. King's Circle resident Nikhil Desai said, "This bridge was a key link for residents of King's Circle and Sion travelling towards Bandra. Now, the only alternative is the 60-ft road near Sion Hospital, which is overburdened. Traffic congestion has worsened." He added that the stretch from Dharavi to BKC is frequently gridlocked, with travel time stretching to 30 minutes for what should ideally take 10 minutes.

Byculla resident Imran Abbas Sayyed said, "Sequential bridge repairs in Byculla, Parel, Elphinstone Road and Sion have made even short trips frustrating -- constant traffic, longer routes, and peak hours are chaotic. We hope work finishes soon with better traffic management and faster timelines."

Residents have questioned the planning of the closures. Desai said Elphinstone bridge should have remained operational until Sion bridge was ready: “Currey Road and Chinchpokli bridges are narrow and already experience congestion during peak hours. With new diversions, these routes face greater pressure, he said. Shutting Elphinstone bridge without adequate alternatives has worsened congestion across key corridors.” Desai said the traffic department should have withheld permission for the closure.

BMC used to have a road inter-utility coordination apex committee, presided over by the additional municipal commissioner. Meetings were held every two months to coordinate with traffic police, BEST and citizen representatives. In 2012, the committee was disbanded, after which coordination shifted to the war room, said an expert from Mumbai Mobility Forum. The double-decker bridge at Elphinstone will take considerable time, and commuter hardship is likely to continue, he said.

The traffic police are now responsible for managing the impact of these closures. They say they have studied the changes in traffic patterns and modified arrangements to minimise delays.

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