Elphinstone bridge demolition: Central Railway plans mega block in Mumbai in January

The demolition will focus on the remaining 132-metre stretch of the century-old bridge that passes over active Central and Western Railway tracks. Approach ramps and adjoining structures were dismantled during earlier phases. Heavy-duty cranes and specialised cutting equipment will be deployed to remove the steel girders in segments, while railway authorities coordinate overhead equipment adjustments and implement safety protocols to protect train operations during the block.

The mega block is expected to affect suburban services on CR’s Main Line and Harbour Line, and may also require diversions or short-termination of select long-distance trains. Detailed operating plans and service advisories are expected to be announced closer to the date. Commuters using Parel and Prabhadevi stations have already seen changes in access routes following the partial closure of the bridge, and traffic diversions are likely to remain in place through the reconstruction period.

Officials said the removal of the old bridge will enable work to progress on a wider, double-decker replacement integrated with the elevated connector, aimed at easing long-standing congestion in the Parel–Worli corridor. “The long weekend offers the most suitable window to complete this crucial phase while keeping inconvenience to commuters as low as possible,” a senior Central Railway official said.

Over a century old, the Elphinstone bridge is seen as a crucial obstacle to the next phase of work on the Sewri–Worli connector, which will channel traffic from the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link towards Worli and the western seafront. Its narrow carriageway has long been a choke point in the Parel–Prabhadevi belt, and engineers say the alignment of new ramps and piers leaves no option but total demolition of the existing structure.