Mumbai’s historic Elphinstone Bridge, built in 1899, will be demolished from September 10 as part of the city’s major infrastructure revamp. The bridge, which has connected Parel and Prabhadevi for over a century, will make way for a new double-decker corridor under the Sewri-Worli Elevated Road project, designed to provide seamless, signal-free access to the Atal Setu Trans Harbour Link.

Traffic on the bridge will be stopped on the night of September 10, with demolition work beginning immediately after. The date has been scheduled after Anant Chaturdashi to ensure Ganesh idol immersion processions are not disrupted. Officials maintain the structure is in a severely dilapidated state and poses safety risks, though nearby residents remain concerned about rehabilitation, warning of possible protests if housing assurances are not honoured.

The project has faced repeated delays due to design revisions, resettlement challenges, and community resistance. However, once complete, the new double-decker corridor is expected to ease congestion significantly in Parel and Prabhadevi—one of Mumbai’s busiest transit hubs handling nearly 700,000 commuters daily.

For over 125 years, the Elphinstone Bridge has been both a lifeline and a colonial relic, connecting key railway stations, offices, and hospitals. Its demolition will close a historic chapter in Mumbai’s urban journey, paving the way for safer, future-ready infrastructure.

News source: Knock Sense