September 20, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has removed 37 commercial structures obstructing the widening of the Andheri–Ghatkopar Link Road (AGLR) and the construction of a new east–west cable-stayed rail overbridge at Ghatkopar.
Both infrastructure projects had faced delays due to nearly 250 affected structures, a mix of encroachments and eligible units entitled to compensation. The BMC is clearing these structures in a phased manner to allow construction to proceed. However, encroachment issues have already pushed the original completion deadline from the end of 2025 to June 2027.
Following the 2018 Gokhale Bridge mishap, structural audits of Mumbai bridges were conducted, including by the Indian Institute of Technology–Bombay (IIT-B), which found the Ghatkopar bridge severely overloaded and in need of major repairs. Reconstruction was subsequently assigned to the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), with funding from the BMC. The new bridge will stretch from the Golibar Road junction near LBS Marg on the AGLR to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), serving as a crucial east–west connector in Ghatkopar.
The BMC is also widening the AGLR to 47.5 metres to ease congestion. Although work orders were issued in 2022, encroachments along approach roads slowed progress. “We are clearing affected structures one by one. Last year 38 structures were removed, and this time 37 commercial establishments were demolished after compensating eligible owners,” a BMC official said.
In the next phase, around 150 more structures along the route are expected to be removed, though some occupants are seeking housing instead of monetary compensation. Meanwhile, the existing 2+2 lane bridge remains operational with restrictions on heavy vehicles. The new cable-stayed bridge will measure 216 metres in length and 11 metres in width, featuring three lanes in each direction.
Source: The Free Press Journal
