September 15, 2025: Mumbai bid farewell to a century-old landmark this week as the Elphinstone Road Over Bridge (ROB) was formally closed on 12 September after 111 years of service, according to The Free Press Journal.
Constructed in 1913 during the British era, the bridge connected the Western and Central Railway lines at Prabhadevi, acting for decades as a crucial east–west corridor. However, designed for a much smaller city, the bridge had become severely congested and was deemed unsafe, paving the way for its long-awaited replacement.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has appointed the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail) to build a pioneering double-decker road over bridge, the first of its kind in Mumbai. The project, estimated at Rs 167.35 crore, is expected to be completed within a year once all approvals are secured.
Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal, Managing Director of MahaRail, hailed the development as a landmark in the city’s infrastructure growth. “We are proud to be entrusted with constructing Mumbai’s first double-decker railway bridge at Elphinstone. This pioneering structure is not just an engineering feat — it is a symbol of the city’s evolving infrastructure. MahaRail is committed to delivering state-of-the-art solutions that blend innovation, safety and efficiency for the people of Mumbai,” he said.
The new bridge will employ an open-web girder structure, spanning 132 metres across both rail corridors. Its lower deck will accommodate four traffic lanes (two in each direction) along with a pedestrian footpath to facilitate local movement. The upper deck will also feature four lanes, directly linking the Sewri–Worli Elevated Corridor to the Atal Setu, further easing east–west travel.
The closure of the historic bridge marks the end of an era, while its replacement signals a bold step towards modern, future-ready urban connectivity.
Source: Swarajya
