Mumbai to get signal-free Nariman Point-Bhayandar corridor by 2028: CM Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the proposed signal-free corridor from Nariman Point to Bhayandar will significantly ease traffic congestion in Mumbai and reduce pressure on the Western Express Highway.

Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis said nearly 60 per cent of Mumbai's traffic currently depends on the Western Express Highway, making it essential to develop alternative high-speed connectivity routes.

"We are preparing a signal-free road from Nariman Point to Bhayandar. This will provide great relief to Mumbai. Around 60 per cent of Mumbai's traffic moves through the Western Express Highway, and this project will help reduce that burden," he said.

The chief minister added that the state government is aiming to complete the entire project by October-November or December 2028, creating a seamless north-south transport corridor for commuters travelling across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

According to officials, the project is expected to improve travel times, decongest major roads and strengthen connectivity between south Mumbai and the city's northern suburbs.

Mumbai's 110-year-old Sion bridge moves closer to reopening as new girders launched

The Sion Road Over Bridge moved a step closer to completion this weekend as Central Railway (CR) took up a major block to launch girders onto the structure, with one lane now nearing readiness.

Girders for the bridge, sourced from Ambala and assembled at the Sion site near the Kalyan end, will be placed over the rail lines during an overnight block on the night of June 13 and 14. The work is part of 5th and 6th lines between CSMT and Kurla.

"The assembled girders will be pushed over the rail lines for one lane tonight. Following this, other finishing works will be taken up and one lane could be commissioned this year itself restoring connectivity," an official said.

The 110-year-old bridge, which links 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.

CR and the BMC are jointly rebuilding the bridge. The portion of the old bridge spanning the tracks, about 40 metres long, will be extended to 51 metres once work is complete. The block, which will run from 12.10 am to 4.10 am between Matunga and Kurla on all lines.

Several long-distance trains will face regulation including the Konark Express, Howrah-CSMT Express and Mangaluru-CSMT Express. Suburban services between CSMT-Kurla and Thane-Kalyan will be suspended during the block, with numerous locals cancelled, short-terminated, or made to originate from alternate stations such as Kurla, Thane and Kalyan.