All you need to know about Elphinstone bridge closure

Even as the Mumbai traffic police are still mulling over the logistics and dates of closure of the arterial Elphinstone bridge taking into consideration all demands and appeals Dadar residents have reminded the authorities of an earlier planned ldquodevelopment projectrdquo road crossing over the rail lines between Dadar and ParelPrabhadevi stations Locals say that if this road were opened first the pressure on traffic after closure of the Prabhadevi road would be eased to a great extentA 3D representation of the new structure The bottom deck will retain eastwest connectivity while the upper one will be linked to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee SewrindashNhava Sheva Atal SetuWhile we welcome the doubledecker bridge at Prabhadevi station we are deeply concerned that the expected road diversions and delays during construction will severely impact commuters and worsen congestion in Dadar The razing and reconstruction of Elphinstone bridge will put immense strain on the already overburdened road network in Dadar To prevent severe traffic disruptions we strongly urge the expedited construction of the DP Road before any demolition work beginsrdquo Chetan Kamble of ChakaChak Dadar organisation saidA 3D representation of the new structure The bottom deck will retain eastwest connectivity while the upper one will be linked to the MTHLHe added ldquoThe traffic police department has endorsed the need for this DP Road recognising its role in alleviating congestion Thousands of daily commuters residents and businesses have been demanding its immediate construction to prevent extended travel times pollution and road safety risks Given these pressing concerns we strongly urge the BMC to prioritise and expedite the construction of this road before commencing the demolition of Elphinstone bridge This will ensure smooth traffic flow and prevent severe disruptions in one of Mumbais busiest transit hubsrdquo he said demanding a clear timeline for the commencement and completion of this crucial projectWhere is the new roadThe new road would link Hindmata junction in Dadar East to the Pramod Mahajan garden in Dadar West It is about 700800 metres long and 60 feet wide and reduces dependence on the Tilak and Elphinstone bridges to decongest Hindmata Junction Dadar TT Circle and Senapati Bapat Marg ensuring smooth movement of vehicles especially during peak hours serving as a crucial alternative route for emergency services buses and commercial vehicles during the bridge reconstructionThree bodies are involved in the construction the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC which is looking after the residents and locals affected due to the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Authority MMRDA which has planned the bridge and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited MRIDClsquoPostponement demolitionrsquoWorli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said ldquoYesterday Thursday I requested the MMRDA official to postpone the demolition of Elphinstone bridge from February to April as thousands of students taking the board exams would be inconvenienced Also due to the absence of Sion bridge the excessive load would be transferred to Tilak bridge and Delisle Road Bridge I have requested the MMRDA to issue public notices on time and coordinate with traffic police and BMC to ensure diversions and the smooth flow of trafficrdquoFeatures of new bridgeThe 132metrelong doubledecker bridge will be of 22 lanes at a height of 27 metres and pass through the most congested localities of central Mumbai While the lower deck which has a footpath will ensure eastwest connectivity the upper one which lacks a footpath will cater to the SewriNhava Sheva Mumbai Trans Harbour Link MTHLThe estimated cost of the structure is Rs 16735 crore and after receiving all necessary approvals it is expected to be completed in approximately a year The project involves dismantling the existing bridge using two 800metrictonne cranesmdashone of the most challenging aspects of the construction This task will be executed without disrupting the suburban train services of both the Western Railway WR and Central Railway CR as the work will take place over running railway tracksThe SewriWorli connectorThe MMRDA is implementing work related to the SewriWorli Elevated Connector The proposed link is a fourlane 22 elevated corridor about 45 km in length The project includes the construction of two road overbridges one at Sewri station across the harbour line and the other at Prabhadevi across the Central and Western Railway linesThis link will provide direct connectivity between the MTHL Bandra Worli Sea Link and Coastal Road project on the west coast of Mumbai The project alignment starts from the Sewri interchange of the MTHL on the east side of Sewri railway station runs along Acharya Donde Marg Jagannath Bhatankar Marg and joins the Narayan Hardikar Marg near Worli Sea FaceThose commuting from Navi Mumbai to Central and South Mumbai will benefit from this which is expected to disperse about 15 to 20 per cent of vehicular traffic on the MTHL To date about 60 per cent of the project work is completed