Five years after the bridge was pulled down for reconstruction, it was inaugurated by Guardian Ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, amidst the presence of senior civic officials and other leaders on Thursday evening.
Written by Nayonika Bose
Mumbai | Updated: November 29, 2023 05:10 PM IST
On Thursday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated Lower Parel’s Delisle bridge, a key connector in downtown Mumbai, amid much fanfare bringing huge relief to residents as well as the floating population that travels to the area. The ‘official’ inauguration came close on the heels of an FIR filed by the civic body against MLA Aaditya Thackeray and other Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders for “illegally inaugurating” the second carriageway of the bridge.
Five years after the bridge was pulled down for reconstruction, it was inaugurated by Guardian Ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Mangal Prabhat Lodha, amidst the presence of senior civic officials and other leaders on Thursday evening.
Even as civic officials invited Aaditya to the inauguration ceremony, he remained conspicuous by his absence. Responding to questions, the opposition leader, who embarked on a two-tour of Konkan region from Thursday, told The Indian Express, “They waited for me to be in Konkan to inaugurate it.” Despite Aaditya’s absence, MLC Sunil Shinde from the Sena (UBT) faction, who was also named in the FIR, was present during the official inauguration ceremony.
Last week, citing that the bridge’s inauguration was being delayed by the ruling party for optics, the opposition leader and other Shiv Sena (UBT) activists moved the barricades and claimed to open the bridge for the public. In the fracas that followed, the Mumbai police registered a case against Aaditya and 20 others.
According to civic officials, the newly constructed Delisle bridge, which comprises three lanes in each direction on Joshi Marg and two lanes in the direction of the Ganpatrao Kadam Marg, has been widened and will now consist of four new staircases as well as two new escalators, which are slated to become operational soon. To aid pedestrian connectivity to the railway station, the civic body has also constructed a temporary footpath alongside the vehicle carriageway.
Meanwhile, speaking during the launch, senior BMC officials added that the reconstruction has created a space of two acres beneath the bridge where the civic body is eyeing to develop a play area and recreational space.
Following Thursday’s inauguration of the bridge’s second carriageway, the prime South Mumbai bridge has become fully operational. For the record, one lane of the bridge connecting GK Marg in Lower Parel towards NM Joshi Marg towards Currey Road had been launched on June 1 and another lane, connecting Currey Road to Lower Parel, was opened to traffic on September 19.
Story continues below this ad
Named after Lieutenant Le Geyt De Lisle, the bridge was built in 1918, and served as a significant route for commuters coming from the eastern suburbs, who could cross the bridge easily to reach the commercial compounds of Kamala Mills, High Street Phoenix and Peninsula Park. This bridge could also be used by commuters for east-west movement in Lower Parel.
The British-era structure was, however, demolished five years ago after a structural audit of city bridges, initiated in the aftermath of the Gokhale Bridge collapse, found it unfit. Even as the structure was razed, basalt stones from Delisle bridge, besides others, have been collected and stored by the BMC, with the objective of being used in other heritage works.
Nayonika Bose is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau. While in the early stages of her career, her focused reporting on local governance and community welfare already demonstrates clear Expertise and Trustworthiness in covering essential civic issues impacting Mumbai's residents.
Expertise & Authority (E-E-A-T)
Specialized Focus: Nayonika's reporting is dedicated to civic and community issues, providing readers with highly relevant, ground-level information about the functionality and administration of India's largest metropolitan area.
Core Coverage Areas: Her articles highlight a strong focus on the fundamental quality of life and public safety in Mumbai, including:
Civic Infrastructure: Reports on critical failures and initiatives related to public works, such as the recurring problem of unauthorized building collapses in Navi Mumbai, the construction of new infrastructure projects (like the Dahisar-Bhayandar Link Road and the Mahalaxmi cable-stayed bridge), and the maintenance of essential city services (e.g., manhole cover theft).
Urban Governance & Crisis Management: Provides detailed coverage of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) response to major crises, particularly during the monsoon (e.g., heavy rainfall, water cuts, and public health concerns like dengue and malaria) and large-scale public safety incidents (e.g., the hoarding collapse fallout).
Community Welfare & Rights: Reports on key social issues, including the financial aid scheme for persons with disabilities, the struggles of Mumbai's hawkers protesting eviction drives, and the dangers faced by workers due to the continuation of manual scavenging in water tanks.
Cultural & Heritage Reporting: Covers significant community stories, including the restoration of British-era fountains and the history of institutions like the 126-year-old Chinchpokli cemetery, showing a breadth of interest beyond pure administration.
Tweets @nayonikakb ... Read More
3 min read
