CM Fadnavis to open three key Mumbai bridges; check how Sion, Vidyavihar and GMLR will help

The newly completed bridge that links Vidyavihar East and West. FILE PIC/SAYYED SAMEER ABEDI

Mumbaikars will finally be able to access three long-awaited bridges, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis scheduled to inaugurate the Sion rail overbridge (ROB), Vidyavihar flyover, and Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) connector on Thursday. The inauguration ceremony will take place at the Vidyavihar bridge site at 1 pm, following delays in the completion of the projects.

The opening of the three bridges is expected to mark an important development for Mumbai's road infrastructure, as the three bridges are expected to improve connectivity across key parts of Mumbai and provide relief to commuters navigating the city's congested road network. All three projects are significant links intended to ease traffic movement and improve access between different parts of the city.

Official Speak

Abhijit Bangar, confirming the inauguration schedule, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects)
‘All the work is done. All checks are done. The bridges will be inaugurated and opened to the public soon.'

Vidyavihar Flyover

This structure is expected to strengthen east-west connectivity and facilitate smoother movement between the eastern and western parts of the suburb. The civic body prepared a plan for the bridge in 2016, and the construction work started in May 2018. The Vidyavihar connector has one of Mumbai's longest steel road bridges, with a 98-metre stretch over ten railway lines.

Sion bridge

The new Sion rail overbridge. FILE PIC/SHADAB KHAN

The Sion ROB will improve connectivity between the Eastern Express Highway and the western side of the city, offering commuters a crucial link across the railway tracks. The bridge's 110-year-old predecessor, which linked the Eastern Express Highway to LBS Road and Dharavi Road, had been declared structurally unsafe several years ago. An IIT audit report had flagged its dilapidated condition as early as 2020, warning that the structure's expired lifespan made it dangerous to keep it standing over live rail lines. Therefore, the bridge was shut and demolished, and its reconstruction commenced in August 2024.

GMLR Connector

The Goregaon-Mulund Link Road connector. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

This structure will link Dindoshi Court to Film City, improving connectivity in the western suburbs and providing a more convenient route for motorists travelling in the area. Construction began in 2022.