July 15, 2025: Construction of a long‑discussed bridge linking Goregaon West and Andheri West is set to begin in August, marking a breakthrough for one of Mumbai’s most traffic‑choked corridors. The 512‑metre, six‑lane structure will cross the Goregaon Creek from Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar to Millat Nagar (Masjid Us Salam Chowk), providing a crucial alternative to the gridlocked New Link Road. Backed by all key environmental and judicial clearances, the Rs 694‑crore project targets completion by August 2029 and forms part of the city’s wider push for smoother, lower‑emission mobility.
Planners expect the new span to shorten commutes across Andheri, Oshiwara, Lokhandwala, and Goregaon, easing daily bottlenecks and cutting fuel burn that worsens air quality. Approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in 2022, the alignment crosses the Coastal Regulation Zone and No Development Zone terrain dominated by mangroves and marshland. Because of this sensitivity, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority in May 2023 insisted the bridge be erected on stilts, banning encroachment and solid‑waste dumping that could obstruct tidal flow.
The Bombay High Court reviewed the scheme twice, first in 2024 to verify that mandated buffer zones around mangroves would remain intact, and again in May 2025, when it ruled the link was “in the larger public interest.” Thirty‑one mangroves will be removed, but the BMC has pledged compensatory planting of 444 saplings to offset ecological loss.
A social challenge still looms: more than 2,500 slum dwellings occupy land on the Goregaon side. While excavation can start on the Andheri bank next month, relocation of these households depends on an ongoing Slum Rehabilitation Authority programme. Ensuring fair resettlement is seen as integral to delivering infrastructure that advances equitable, inclusive growth across Mumbai’s western suburbs.
Source: Urban Acres
