Mumbai’s new Sion bridge, Vidyavihar east-west connector and a 1.26-km elevated stretch in Goregaon East are set to open to traffic, adding capacity at three congested locations and improving movement between the city’s eastern and western suburbs. The three projects have a combined cost of Rs 538 crore.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar would inaugurate the projects virtually. The bridges are scheduled to be opened to motorists after the ceremony.
The Sion bridge is replacing a century-old structure that was declared unfit in a structural audit conducted in 2019. The old bridge had remained closed to traffic for more than two years, affecting movement near one of Mumbai’s important railway and road junctions.
Built at a cost of Rs 60 crore, the new Sion bridge is 61 metres long, compared with 40 metres for the earlier structure. It will have four vehicular lanes, twice the earlier capacity, along with a dedicated footpath connecting commuters to Sion railway station. An underpass has also been included to facilitate vehicular and pedestrian movement.
The Vidyavihar east-west connector, estimated to cost Rs 178 crore, is expected to reduce travel time by up to 20 minutes by providing a direct link across the railway line and between the two sides of the suburb. The project was conceived in 1991 and taken up for construction in 2016, making it one of Mumbai’s long-delayed connectivity projects.
The third project is a 1.26-km elevated corridor in Goregaon East, being built as part of the wider Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project. Estimated to cost Rs 300 crore, the stretch begins near the Dindoshi court and descends near Sanjay Gandhi National Park. From there, motorists will be able to continue towards Mumbai’s eastern suburbs using the existing road network.
The Goregaon elevated stretch is expected to ease pressure on the Western Express Highway and provide an interim connection towards the eastern suburbs before the larger Goregaon-Mulund Link Road is completed. The corridor therefore forms an operational link within a broader east-west transport project rather than functioning as a standalone route.
Although the three bridges were ready for use, their opening had been held up pending formal inauguration, drawing criticism from citizens and opposition leaders. Senior civic officials said finishing work, including painting and installing signboards, contributed to the delay. With the virtual inauguration scheduled, traffic access to the structures is expected to begin after the ceremony.
