Elphinstone Bridge Closure: Demolition Of Mumbai's Iconic 125-Yr-Old Structure In Prabhadevi Begins Amid Heavy Police Deployment | Video

Mumbai: The long-awaited demolition of the Elphinstone Bridge at Prabhadevi railway station began in the early hours of Saturday, bringing with it heavy security, traffic diversions and bus route changes. The bridge, which had served as a crucial connector between the eastern and western parts of Parel and Prabhadevi, was officially closed to vehicular traffic at midnight before demolition crews moved in with heavy machinery.

According to viral visuals from the site, a JCB machine was deployed at the Parel signal end to dig up the road, marking the start of dismantling work. A heavy police deployment was seen near the site late at night. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is carrying out the demolition to make way for a new Elphinstone flyover along with the Sewri–Worli elevated connector flyover, a project expected to improve east–west connectivity in central Mumbai.

Traffic Diversions Announced

To manage disruptions, the Mumbai Traffic Police have implemented a series of diversions and one-way rules beginning Thursday night, September 12. For east–west travel, Dadar commuters are being rerouted via Tilak Bridge, while traffic from Parel to Prabhadevi is directed through Currey Road Bridge between 7 am and 3 pm. Chinchpokli Bridge will handle movement towards Worli and the Bandra–Worli Sea Link.

For west–east movement, Tilak Bridge will again cater to Dadar commuters, while Currey Road Bridge will be available from 3 pm to 11 pm for vehicles heading towards Parel and nearby hospitals. Chinchpokli Bridge remains open for access to Worli and the Sea Link.

In addition, strict no-parking zones have been declared on major roads, including N.M. Joshi Road, Senapati Bapat Road, and Mahadev Palav Road to ensure smoother traffic flow during the project.

MSRTC Bus Routes Affected

The demolition has also prompted route realignments for Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses operating from its Parel Depot. According to a directive issued on September 11, all ordinary and semi-luxury services between Parel Depot and Dadar will now take an extended detour through Madke Buwa Chowk, Parel T.T. Junction, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, and several junctions before rejoining N.M. Joshi Marg en route to the depot.

This realignment increases the one-way distance from 6 km to 6.2 km. While seemingly minor, this additional stretch triggers a fare stage jump under MSRTC’s slab system, resulting in a slight fare hike for commuters.

Long-Delayed But Critical Project

The demolition, marked by repeated delays in the past, is seen as a key step in addressing Mumbai’s growing traffic congestion. Once completed, the new double-decker flyover is expected to ease bottlenecks and provide smoother transit across central Mumbai’s busy corridors.

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