Elphinstone bridge to be shut from April 25 | Mumbai news

MUMBAI: The British-era Elphinstone bridge will be closed for two years starting April 25 for a complete overhaul. A notification to this effect was issued on Wednesday, which said alternate traffic arrangements would come into force from 9.00pm on Friday.

According to information on alternate routes provided by the traffic police, motorists can use the Tilak bridge in Dadar as well as the Chinckpokli bridge to cross over the railway tracks in either direction.

Traffic on the Currey Road bridge will be regulated according to three time slots – motorists travelling from Parel East to Prabhadevi/ Lower Parel can use the bridge between 7am and 3pm and motorists travelling in the opposite direction can use the bridge from 3pm to 11pm. Between 11pm and 7am, the bridge will remain open to traffic in both directions.

“The notification on alternate traffic arrangements is based on suggestions received from citizens following the publication of the draft notification on April 8,” a traffic police officer told Hindustan Times.

The Elphinstone bridge is 13 metres wide, with 1.5 lanes in each direction. It will be shut for two years as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) plans to demolish it and construct a four-lane, double decker flyover in its place. Closure of the bridge is likely to cause severe disruption, inconvenience, and traffic congestion due to the presence of several large hospitals in the area and the conversion of mill lands into malls and office complexes over the past two decades.

The 4.5-km-long double-decker flyover which will come up in place of the old bridge is called the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector. It will link Atal Setu on the city’s eastern shores with the Bandra Worli Sea Link on the western coast. The flyover incorporates bridges at two locations – over the harbour line tracks at Sewri and over the Central and Western line tracks at Parel/ Prabhadevi. Both bridges will be constructed as per the push-pull method, which is used for erecting steel superstructures over active railway lines.

The first level of the double decker bridge will have four lanes (two in each direction), catering to traffic between Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road and Senapati Bapat Marg. The second level, also having four lanes, will cater to traffic between Atal Setu and the Bandra-Worli sea link.

While construction is underway, the foot over bridge on the northern end of Parel station will be designated a non-ticketed zone for public use. A new foot over bridge at the southern end is also likely to be ready soon.

“For emergencies, ambulance vehicles will be stationed on both sides of the bridge round the clock,” said an MMRDA official.