Changing City: New Sion railway overbridge in Mumbai to become operational by July
The longer and wider Sion Bridge in Mumbai is aimed at providing a better connection between the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg.
A newly constructed Sion Bridge in Mumbai is set to become operational by July this year, aimed at providing a better connection between the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg.
Why a new bridge?
Sion is one of the heavily populated areas in central Mumbai, which houses the congested area of Dharavi slums. Earlier, there was a British-era Railway Over Bridge (ROB) providing east-west connectivity. However, a structural audit in 2019 revealed the precarious condition of the bridge. Subsequently, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) floated a proposal to bring down the structure and replace it with a new one.
Timeline of construction
In August 2024, the bridge was shut down to carry out demolition work. However, the demolition work could only start from April last year owing to the removal of multiple obstacles in the location, including toilet blocks and a BEST electricity room. However, these structures have been relocated, and construction work has been going on at full swing. Civic body officials said that the new bridge will be completed by July 2026.
Features of the bridge
The new bridge will be 61 metres long, instead of the 40-metre-long previous structure, and will have four lanes for smooth traffic flow, instead of two. The BMC said that the longer length and wider carriageways have been made to accommodate higher vehicular density. The bridge will also have a dedicated footpath to provide direct access to citizens going to or coming out of Sion station.
The bridge will also have an underpass to facilitate traffic and pedestrian movement.
Construction cost
The cost of this ROB has been pegged at Rs 60 crore and is a joint venture between the BMC and Central Railway.
Administration speaks
“Even though the work progress was slow initially, the machinery remained deployed at the spot. The pace of work has picked up after the blockages were removed and is currently ongoing at full speed. The balance of work will not require a very long time, since we aim to escalate the pace of work further post-monsoon. Therefore, it is safe to say we will be able to open the new bridge for vehicular movement by July 2026, and by February 2027, we intend to open the underpass,” said Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).
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
