September 13, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will begin work next month on a long-awaited road bridge in Bhandup, designed to link LBS Marg with Veer Savarkar Marg near Bhandup railway station. The project, with an estimated cost of Rs 129.43 crore, is expected to take one and a half years to complete, offering commuters a crucial alternative to existing congested routes.
The bridge will pass directly over the railway tracks, significantly improving east–west connectivity in the suburb. For years, commuters have relied on the overburdened Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) and Andheri-Goregaon Link Road (AGLR)—corridors five kilometres apart that regularly choke with peak-hour traffic. An old railway crossing that once connected the two sides was closed in the early 2000s, leaving residents demanding a direct replacement. The new bridge, located just 100 metres from the defunct crossing, will finally plug this long-standing gap.
According to civic officials, construction will begin with pier work on the western side, while the eastern portion awaits final clearances concerning encroachments, tree removal and partial acquisition of salt pan land. Together with the newly opened Vikhroli bridge, the Bhandup connector is expected to ease the load on JVLR and AGLR, cutting down travel time for thousands of daily commuters.
The bridge will stretch 530 metres in total, including an 89-metre span directly above the railway tracks. It will extend 233.5 metres on the eastern side and 207.3 metres on the western side. Designed for three-lane traffic, the width will measure 11.5 metres along BMC-maintained portions and 15.6 metres over the railway section. Structurally, the bridge will consist of 14 spans—seven on the east, five on the west, and two above the tracks. The project is slated for completion by mid-2027.
Source: The Free Press Journal
