June 07, 2025: Launched in 2020 as a Rs 287 crore joint initiative between the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), the Byculla bridge project was meant to ease traffic between the East and West. Yet, as it nears its revised deadline of end-2025, it has done little to inspire public confidence.
The bridge is designed to replace three ageing structures — two unidirectional road overbridges and a near-century-old rail bridge — with a six-lane, cable-stayed corridor. While the vision aims to modernise mobility in South Mumbai, residents say the reality on the ground is far from functional.
Construction zones have overtaken roads, and footpaths formerly beautified under Mumbai’s street upgrade schemes have been demolished, stripped of trees, and rendered unusable. For pedestrians, the elderly, and disabled citizens, daily navigation has become hazardous. With existing bridges still in use despite being declared structurally unsafe in a 2018 IIT-Bombay audit, fears of a Gokhale Bridge-style disaster loom.
Officials blame the delays on utility relocations, encroachment removal, and coordination challenges with Indian Railways. However, the lack of public updates and clarity around project timelines has left residents frustrated. The absence of pedestrian-friendly provisions, green cover restoration, and clear signage has further intensified concerns.
Located near the culturally significant Rani Baug and Nagpada junction, the project also risks compromising the area’s historical identity. Motorists struggle with detours and congestion, while many remain unclear about the final design and impact of the bridge.
Despite civic assurances, the project increasingly reflects a reactive planning approach. Without transparent communication and citizen-centric design, the Byculla bridge risks becoming yet another example of Mumbai’s ongoing struggle to balance infrastructure growth with human-centred development.
Source: Urban Acres
