Ahilyabai Holkar, Jagannath ‘Nana’ Shankar Seth and Lata Mangeshkar–Mumbai’s century-old landmark Bellasis Bridge is set to be renamed after one of these personalities as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is set to do away with the old name to remove the colonial imprint on the structure.
Even though the construction of this bridge was completed a month ago, the opening of it has been stuck owing to finalising a new name for the bridge. Civic officials said the current government wants to rename this bridge since the old name highlights India’s colonial past. At present, the bridge is named after Major General John Bellasis, who commissioned the link connecting the Mahim Causeway to Malabar Hill in 1793.
In July last year, the civic authorities renamed Mumbai’s old Carnac bridge as ‘Sindoor Bridge’ to commemorate Operation Sindoor–India’s armed forces military response against the Pahalgam terror attacks which killed 26 tourists.
Civic sources maintained that the three new names for the Bellasis Bridge have been proposed by minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha who is also the local MLA.
“I have proposed these three names to the BMC’s ward office. Now they will verify the names and send it forward to the higher authorities for final approval. The overall process takes 1-3 months,” Lodha told the Indian Express on Saturday.
According to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, whenever a new monument or public infrastructure project is constructed or a road is to be renamed, then the local ward office submits preferred names to the BMC’s special works committee for approval. Civic officials maintained that following Lodha’s suggestion, the local ward office has sent the list of names to the civic headquarters for its approval. However, the approval is likely to take time since the statutory committees are yet to be formed in the BMC.
Usually, public places are named after personalities who have contributed in building and preserving Mumbai’s history and legacy. After the name gets submitted to these committees, the members approve or discard it on a voting basis. However, Lodha’s proposal is also met with a challenge since the BMC’s rule states that a personality’s name can only be used for naming only one particular structure.
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“In Dadar, there is already a flyover named after Nana Shankar Seth. So, it is unlikely that this name could be used again. The names will be passed to the works committee which will take the final call,” an official said.
The members of these committees comprise elected corporators. In the past four years, since the BMC didn’t have a body of elected representatives in place, the municipal commissioner was empowered to name and rename public properties. Now that the elected representatives are back in the municipal corporation, the statutory committees will have the final say in renaming the bridge. The formation of the statutory committees will take place in BMC on February 16, following which the election of the chairpersons is likely to be held on February 20.
“The committees will only pass a document that will register the name. If the chief minister or the mayor makes a public announcement of the bridge, then the name gets automatically confirmed and later the committees can grant a post facto clearance,” said the official.
Built at a cost of Rs 110 crore, the Bellasis Bridge connects traffic movement between Nagpada and Tardeo and is a railway overbridge (ROB) that passes above railway tracks. However, following a structural audit report in 2018, it was found that the bridge has lived its age. Following this, the BMC decided to construct a new bridge by pulling down the old structure.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
