15 October,2026 07:23 AM IST | Mumbai | Sarthak Mehta
Sion bridge: The Sion Railway Overbridge, one of three bridges awaiting inauguration. Pics/Shadab Khan
Mumbaikars could soon get three new bridges at once, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) awaiting a VIP's availability to inaugurate them, civic officials said.
The Dindoshi court to Filmcity 1.26 km long flyover (part of GMLR) and the Vidyavihar bridge are ready, while finishing touches are being carried out on the Sion Railway Overbridge (ROB), officials said. Addressing reports of a delay in the Sion bridge's opening on Wednesday, a civic official said the BMC had not announced an inauguration date for any of the three bridges.
"We had expected a VIP to inaugurate them on October 14, but the person was unavailable. A revised date is being considered," the official said.
Another civic official said the GMLR and Vidyavihar bridges had been handed over by the contractor before their September deadlines, while the Sion bridge was nearing completion four months ahead of its February 2027 deadline.
"All three are expected to be inaugurated on a single day," the official said.
The Sion ROB is a joint project of the BMC and Central Railway.
Its reopening is keenly awaited by commuters who have faced disruption since the bridge was closed for reconstruction.
"Works are completed, but we are not opening them yet as some finishing work is still ongoing at the three bridges. We will announce an opening date within the next two days. It's not confirmed yet whom will attend the inauguration," stated a senior civic official on Wednesday.
"The other two bridges are ready. We expect a VIP to open all three on a single day," another official familiar with the matter said.
The wait for a formal inauguration has drawn criticism from commuters and activists, who say completed public infrastructure should be opened for use as soon as it is safe. "I believe Sion bridge is now ready. If that is indeed so, I hope they open it at the earliest without waiting for the availability of people to inaugurate it. It has caused a lot of hardship, and earlier it eases, the better it will be for the public," Harsha Bhogle wrote on X.
Transport and traffic analyst Jagdeep Desai said delays in opening public projects reflected poorly on the authorities. He suggested that projects could be inaugurated virtually if the chief guest was unavailable in person.
RTI activist Anil Galgali said an official had informed him that all three bridges were ready and that the BMC was waiting for the CM's availability. He urged the civic body to open them at the earliest.
Activist Zoru Bhathena also called for the bridges to be opened without further delay, arguing that public infrastructure should serve commuters rather than wait for political inaugurations.
Separately, the BMC has set December 31, 2027, as the target to complete the 1.75-km Juhu-Vile Parle Development Scheme (JVPD) flyover, which will connect the end of the CD Barfiwala flyover in Andheri West to the Juhu-Versova Link Road.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar inspected the project on Wednesday and reviewed construction progress, traffic management and timelines. He directed officials to expedite the work and open the flyover to traffic by December 31, 2027, ahead of its scheduled March 2028 deadline.
The flyover is expected to bypass five major traffic junctions and reduce peak-hour travel time along the route from about 45 minutes to around 20 minutes.
