Three key bridges inaugurated online to improve connectivity and ease traffic congestion across Mumbai
Mumbai, October 2026: Rapid infrastructure development across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is bringing the vision of reaching Mumbai within 59 minutes closer to reality, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday.
He said the ongoing development of multimodal connectivity infrastructure would significantly improve travel times and enhance the ease of living for residents across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
At an online inauguration ceremony held from his official residence, Varsha, the Chief Minister inaugurated three major infrastructure projects undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC): the railway overbridge at Vidyavihar connecting Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road with Ramchandra Chemburkar Road, the new flyover at Sion railway station, and the flyover between Ratnagiri Junction and Chitranagari in Goregaon East under the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar participated in the programme from Pune. Maharashtra Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Cultural Affairs Minister and Advocate Ashish Shelar, legislators Rajhans Singh and Parag Shah, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi and other public representatives attended the event at Vidyavihar.
Easier travel for Mumbai residents
Chief Minister Fadnavis said the government was developing a seamless north-south and east-west connectivity network across the Mumbai metropolitan area. The three bridges at Vidyavihar, Goregaon East and Sion were strategically important projects that would make commuting easier for residents.
He described the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road as a crucial project for improving east-west connectivity.
The Vidyavihar railway overbridge connects Ramchandra Chemburkar Road on the eastern side with LBS Road on the western side. The journey between these areas, which previously took around 30 minutes, is expected to take approximately 10 minutes after the bridge opens to traffic. It will also help reduce the traffic burden on the flyover near Ghatkopar railway station.
The flyover and elevated circular road project near Ratnagiri Hotel Junction in Goregaon East has been designed to improve traffic movement. The project is expected to reduce congestion at the junction and nearby intersections while strengthening east-west connectivity.
The old bridge at Sion railway station was 112 years old and had become unsafe. The new bridge will improve road connectivity and facilitate the construction of the fifth and sixth railway lines. Once these additional lines are completed, the frequency and number of suburban train services can be increased, benefiting commuters, the Chief Minister said.
Infrastructure projects accelerating urban connectivity
Fadnavis said the new Sion bridge would serve as an important link between Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road and the Eastern Express Highway on the eastern side, and Dharavi, Bandra and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) on the western side. This would make east-west travel across Mumbai more convenient.
He added that the BMC was rapidly developing the city's transport network through projects involving concrete roads, the Coastal Road and other major infrastructure initiatives.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar said several major projects were being completed rapidly through coordination among the municipal corporation, the state government and the Central government. Cooperation among these three levels of administration had helped accelerate the work and improve Mumbai's infrastructure.
She congratulated the municipal administration, engineers, contractors, officials and workers for their contribution to the projects.
BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide delivered the introductory remarks. Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar and Chief Minister's Investment Adviser Kaustubh Dhavse were also present.
Sion railway bridge
The reconstruction of the 112-year-old Sion railway bridge was undertaken after it was declared unsafe. The project was also necessary to facilitate the expansion of the fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla on the Central Railway network.
The additional railway lines are expected to help improve the movement of both suburban and long-distance trains.
The bridge is a key connection between eastern and western Sion, providing improved access to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, the Eastern Express Highway, Dharavi and Bandra.
The railway portion of the project cost Rs 33.51 crore, while the approach roads cost Rs 31.62 crore. The bridge was completed approximately four months ahead of schedule.
The railway bridge is 54.5 metres long and 26 metres wide. It incorporates two semi-through steel girders weighing a total of 496 tonnes.
The approach roads include a 65-metre stretch towards Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, a 110-metre stretch towards Dharavi and a 97-metre stretch towards LBS Road. Pedestrian subways have also been constructed on LBS Road and Sant Rohidas Marg.
Touch piles have been used to strengthen the ground and provide stable approaches to the bridge.
Vidyavihar flyover connecting eastern and western suburbs
The BMC constructed the Vidyavihar flyover to provide a direct connection between the eastern and western parts of Vidyavihar. Its primary objective is to ease congestion on the flyover near Ghatkopar railway station.
The project was completed in two phases. The first phase involved relocating utility services within railway premises and installing two girders, each measuring 99.34 metres. The second phase included the construction of 500-metre-long service roads on both the eastern and western sides.
The flyover is 600 metres long, with a width ranging from 15.5 metres to 17.5 metres.
The project is expected to reduce travel time between Ramchandra Chemburkar Road on the eastern side and LBS Road on the western side from around 30 minutes to approximately 10 minutes.
Goregaon-Mulund Link Road flyover
The flyover has been constructed as part of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road project to improve connectivity between Mumbai's eastern and western suburbs and reduce traffic congestion.
It is expected to provide faster and smoother travel between the suburbs and facilitate convenient access to the proposed twin underground tunnels beneath Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
The project will also help ease congestion along A.K. Vaidya Marg, Film City Road and the area around Hotel Ratnagiri Junction.
The flyover in Goregaon East is 1.26 kilometres long and has six lanes. It has been constructed using precast box-shaped concrete segments.
The structure features a curved steel span between piers P7 and P11, incorporating a complex multidirectional design. Depending on ground conditions, both pile foundations and open foundations have been used.
The three projects are expected to improve traffic flow, reduce commuting time and strengthen Mumbai's east-west transport links as the city continues to expand its infrastructure network.
