October 23, 2025: Work on Mumbai’s ambitious Byculla East–West Cable-Stayed Connector has reached 72 per cent completion, officials confirmed. Originally slated for completion in October 2023, the project has undergone multiple deadline extensions — first to July 2024, then to October 2025, and now to May 2026.
Authorities have attributed the delays to challenges in relocating underground utilities and removing encroachments along the construction route. The project entails reconstructing the 103-year-old Y-shaped Byculla Bridge, which was built in 1922 and spans both Sandhurst Road and Byculla railway stations. Following the Gokhale Bridge collapse in 2018, a structural audit conducted by IIT Bombay found the bridge to be unsafe and in a dilapidated condition, necessitating a full redevelopment.
The reconstruction is being jointly executed by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The upcoming 916-metre-long bridge, including its approach roads, will feature an eight-lane carriageway—upgraded from the previous six lanes—and will stand 9.7 metres tall. The total project cost has been pegged at Rs 287 crore.
To reduce traffic disruption, construction has been divided into phases since December 2021. New parallel bridges are currently being built, after which traffic will be rerouted to the newly completed lanes. Once this diversion is in place, parts of the old bridge will be dismantled and integrated into the new cable-stayed structure.
Beyond improved traffic capacity, the new bridge will include a selfie point offering scenic views of the Mumbai skyline. A senior civic official stated that, under the revised schedule, the Byculla Cable-Stayed Bridge is expected to be fully operational by May 2026.
Source: Construction World
