Elphinstone bridge to be dismantled in November for double-deck connector

It will be a November block to bring down the Elphinstone bridge After years of waiting the final act is about to begin on the ageing steel spine that links Prabhadevi and Parel mdash a structure once known as the 1913era ldquoParel Bridgerdquo and later as the Elphinstone Road overbridge The stonemasonry landings at both ends have already been demolished now the bulk of the ironandsteel span crossing the Central and Western Railway tracks will be dismantled in NovemberClearance in place stage setThe Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation MRIDC has confirmed that it has received clearances from both Central Railway CR and Western Railway WR to proceed with the dismantling of the steel structure above the active tracks An official confirmed that the work will ldquofor surerdquo in November following the recent removal of approachroad sectionsAccording to MRIDC officials the dismantling will be carried out in phases during specially earmarked rail blocks mdash short periods when train traffic is suspended or rerouted mdash to allow cranes to operate safely while removing the massive girdersWhy the bridge has to goThe 112yearold bridge has been a vital eastwest connector across Mumbairsquos railway corridor linking the former mill hub of Parel with the residential and commercial zones of PrabhadeviIt was originally commissioned by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway GIPR in 1905 and completed in 1913 The bridgersquos castiron plaques proudly bear its legacy ldquoParel Bridge ndash GIPR ndash 1913 ndash Contractor Bomanji Rustomjirdquo and ldquoP amp W Maclellan Ltd Clutha Works GIPR Glasgow 1911rdquoHowever decades of heavy traffic structural wear and urban expansion have taken a toll Its removal is part of a larger project to construct a new doubledeck road overbridge and elevated connector that will drastically improve the eastwest link in central MumbaiWhat to expect in NovemberThe remaining 132metre steel span across the tracks will now be the focus of the demolition Two heavyduty cranes mdash each capable of lifting hundreds of tonnes mdash will carefully dismantle the girders in sequence once the rail blocks are announcedRailway authorities plan to coordinate the timing of these blocks between CR and WR to minimise disruption to suburban and longdistance trains Still commuters should brace for temporary delays and schedule changes when the work beginsThe dismantling will start from the CR east side first as MRIDC is still negotiating wayleave charges with WR which reportedly amount to R5914 croreWhat lies aheadOnce the old steel structure is removed construction of the new doubledeck bridge will begin The project mdash expected to be completed by 2027 mdash will feature two decks with 22 lanes each linking the Western suburbs to the Sea Link Atal Setu Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and Eastern Express corridorsVoices from the groundldquoIrsquove crossed this bridge for 30 years on my scooter Itrsquos like watching an old friend fade away The gentle gradients and the approaches to the station were the regular views Now we dont know what the new bridge will be likerdquo said Ramesh Patil a Parel residentldquoTraffic is already a nightmare because of the diversions I just hope they stick to the timeline and donrsquot take another decaderdquo said Priya Naik a DadartoWorli commuter ldquoThis bridge was part of our childhood mdash we used to stand and watch trains from here Itrsquos sad to see the area lose its characterrdquo said Baburam Gholap a local residentldquoWe just hope the authorities have planned ahead and arranged the girders for the new bridge Once demolition happens construction must start immediatelyrdquo said Sandeep Kulkarni owner of Kulkarni Bros in Prabhadevi