MUMBAI: Motorists in Mumbai will have to wait a little longer for relief from traffic snarls, as three key flyovers that are fully built are still waiting to be opened. The Sion railway overbridge, the Vidyavihar railway overbridge and the flyover from Dindoshi Court to Film City Road under the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project were to be opened online on October 14. The programme was called off as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister could not spare time for the event.
Authorities are now preparing to inaugurate all three bridges online.
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has also joined commuters in pressing for an early opening. In a post on X, he appealed to the authorities to throw the bridges open at the earliest.
Vidyavihar bridge delayed by technical issues
The Vidyavihar railway overbridge in Ghatkopar will connect Ramchandra Chemburkar Marg on the eastern side with Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg on the western side. A part of the two-lane bridge passes over the railway station, and it includes a main span of nearly 100 metres above the railway tracks. The work had been delayed due to technical reasons but has now been completed.
GMLR flyover to cut travel time to 25 minutes
The GMLR flyover, built from Dindoshi Court to Film City Road, is 1.36 km long with three lanes on each side. Once opened, it is expected to cut travel time between the eastern and western suburbs from around 75 minutes to nearly 25 minutes. Motorists travelling towards Goregaon, Dindoshi and Mulund are likely to benefit the most.
112-year-old Sion bridge rebuilt
The Sion railway flyover, nearly 112 years old, links the eastern and western parts of the city. It was shut for reconstruction in August 2024. The railways built the portion within railway limits, while the BMC was responsible for the approach roads and a pedestrian underpass. The subway on LBS Marg has also been completed, and the bridge is now only waiting to be opened to traffic.
With the Sion and Vidyavihar bridges back in use, the pressure on nearby roads is expected to ease, and thousands of motorists using these routes daily are likely to get relief.