Changing City: With Carnac and Vikhroli bridges set to open in 10 days, Mumbai eyes an easier commute

The new Carnac Bridge is being rebuilt after the old one was demolished in 2022. The old Carnac Bridge became operational in 1868 and since then has remained a key east-west connector in South Mumbai, joining P D’Mello Road with Masjid Bunder.

The Vikhroli Bridge will connect the Eastern Express Highway in the east with Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg in the west of Vikhroli in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs. The idea of building this bridge was conceived in 1997, however, construction could only begin in 2018.

Features

The Vikhroli Bridge will be 480 metres long and will have four vehicular lanes along with footpaths. This will be India’s longest bridge, having an open-web-girder system passing above railway tracks. Once operational, the Vikhroli ROB will bring down commute time to seven minutes. Today, it takes 25-30 minutes.

The new Carnac Bridge will have four vehicular lanes – double the number of lanes present in the previous structure. The new bridge will be equipped with modern-day signage and lighting. Once operational, the Carnac Bridge is expected to decongest South Mumbai roads, significantly bringing down east-west commute time to 5-7 minutes. At present, it takes 30-40 minutes during peak hours.

Cost and timeline

The initial cost of the Vikhroli Bridge project at the time of issuing the work order stood at Rs 70 crore. However, owing to multiple delays, the cost now stands at Rs 180 crore. The construction work is expected to be completed by May 31, following which it is expected to become operational by the first week of June.

The new Carnac Bridge is being built at a cost of Rs 60 crore. The construction work is in the final stages and will be completed by June 10, following which the bridge will be opened for vehicular movement.

Administration speaks

“Both the bridges had met with several hurdles since they were in the ideation stage. That is why the two projects got delayed by many years. At present, these projects are on track, and work is going on at full pace. The bridges will bring down the traffic woes in the suburbs and island city significantly,” said Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).