The British-era bridge connected Parel and Prabhadevi areas

Mumbai Traffic Police had issued a notification about the closure of the ROB on Thursday and also published an alternative traffic management plan

The bridge will be reconstructed as part of the Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector project of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA)

The Traffic Police had earlier planned to close the bridge from April 25. The decision, however, was postponed on the basis of assessment that it would cause traffic congestion and disruptions, especially in Dadar, Lower Parel, Curry Road and Bharatmata areas

A traffic management plan was devised to minimise inconvenience to motorists before taking a fresh decision

The existing Elphinstone ROB is 13 metres wide and accommodates only 1.5 lanes of traffic in each direction

The dismantling will make way for a modern double-decker structure that is expected to significantly improve the east-west connectivity in the metropolis

The first level of the new double-decker bridge will feature a 2+2 lane carriageway for traffic between Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road and Senapati Bapat Road, while the second level will accommodate a 2+2 lane carriageway for traffic heading from the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu) to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL)

The Sewri-Worli Elevated Connector will be 4.5-km long, and have four-lane (2+2) carriageways. It will link MTHL with BWSL, which is a key connection between the city`s northern and southern coastal roads on the west coast

Mumbai`s iconic Elphinstone bridge, long at the centre of debate and protests, is now history after overnight demolition works

In just a few hours, the structure was rendered unusable, cutting off both vehicular and pedestrian access

The demolition, originally scheduled for midnight Friday, was advanced by two hours and began around 10 pm

By morning, the once-busy connector had been reduced to rubble, leaving residents and commuters stranded