Mumbai commuters waiting for relief from traffic congestion may soon get access to three key road links. The Sion railway overbridge, the Vidyavihar bridge and a flyover connecting Dindoshi Court to Film City under the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project are ready or nearing completion. However, construction progress has not yet translated into confirmed public access.
A report by Mid-Day on October 15 said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had not announced an opening date for any of the three projects. Civic officials said the bridges were expected to be inaugurated on the same day, subject to the final arrangements.
Sion Bridge Reopening: What Commuters Should Know
The new Sion railway overbridge will restore an important east-west connection near Sion railway station. The old bridge, built in 1912, was closed after a structural audit in 2019 flagged its condition.
According to The Indian Express, the replacement bridge is 61 metres long, compared with 40 metres for the old structure. It will have four lanes instead of two, along with a dedicated footpath connecting commuters to Sion railway station. An underpass is also part of the project.
The reconstruction has been carried out jointly by the BMC and Central Railway at a cost of around Rs 60 crore, the newspaper reported. The bridge had been expected to reopen during the week of October 12, but finishing work and traffic police clearance were still required, according to the latest reports available.
The delay has frustrated commuters who have had to rely on alternative routes for more than two years. The bridge's reopening is expected to improve connectivity between Sion East and Sion West.
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Vidyavihar Bridge To Improve East-West Connectivity
The new Vidyavihar bridge in Mumbai's eastern suburbs will provide a direct connection between Ramchandra Chemburkar Marg on the east and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg on the west. The 650-metre bridge is expected to make travel easier for motorists crossing the railway tracks and reduce dependence on existing routes in the area.
The project also includes improvements to Vidyavihar railway station, including facilities such as staircases and ticket offices. The bridge was reported to be ready for inauguration in mid-October. However, a confirmed date for opening it to public traffic is not available.
Goregaon Connector: How The GMLR Flyover Will Help
The third project is a 1.26-kilometre flyover connecting Dindoshi Court to Film City Road. It forms part of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project, which aims to improve connectivity between Mumbai's eastern and western suburbs.
The flyover is expected to offer motorists a more direct route towards Film City and help improve traffic movement in the surrounding areas. Civic officials told Mid-Day that the structure was ready, but its public opening was awaiting an official date.
Why Are The Three Bridges Still Waiting To Open?
The delay has become a point of public and political criticism because the projects are reported to be ready or close to completion. Reports published in October said the BMC was waiting to coordinate the inauguration of the three links, with the availability of senior state leaders cited as a factor.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray also urged the state government to open the Sion bridge without waiting for a VIP visit or an auspicious date.
For commuters, the key issue is not the inauguration ceremony but when the routes will actually become accessible. Until the BMC and traffic authorities confirm that the bridges are open, motorists should continue to follow existing traffic arrangements.
The Sion, Vidyavihar and Goregaon projects are expected to improve road connectivity and ease pressure on some of Mumbai's busy routes. The new Sion bridge will restore a long-awaited link, while the Vidyavihar bridge and GMLR flyover will offer additional options for east-west travel.
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