November 01, 2025: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has approved an expenditure of ₹98.55 crore to purchase residential units for families affected by the Worli–Shivdi elevated corridor project, which will replace the 112-year-old Elphinstone Bridge with a modern double-decker flyover. However, uncertainty continues over the redevelopment of 17 adjoining chawls in Prabhadevi that await a government decision on cluster redevelopment.
Spanning 4.5 kilometres, the new corridor aims to enhance connectivity between South and East Mumbai by linking the Worli and Sewri ends of the coastal route. As part of the project, the Haji Noorani and Laxmi Niwas chawls are being demolished, displacing 83 households. Initially, MMRDA proposed compensation based on ready reckoner rates, but residents protested, stating that market prices in Prabhadevi are nearly twice as high.
Responding to their demands, MMRDA revised its rehabilitation plan to offer permanent homes with 35% more space than existing tenements. “Those currently living in 300 sq ft units will receive 405 sq ft apartments under the new policy,” said a civic official. The authority will now acquire these homes within the G-North, F-North, and F-South wards, avoiding relocation to far-off areas like Kurla.
Demolition of the Elphinstone Bridge began in September, following railway design approvals. The ₹167-crore double-decker structure will feature two vehicular lanes on each level — the lower deck for local east-west traffic and the upper for the Sewri–Worli connector. Completion is expected by 2027.
While 83 families are set to benefit from the revised housing plan, residents of the 17 nearby pre-independence chawls remain in limbo. The Urban Development Department has yet to decide which agency will oversee their redevelopment. Urban experts stress that integrating infrastructure growth with equitable housing is vital for sustainable urban renewal in Mumbai.
Source: Urban Acres
