Century-old Elphinstone bridge plaque from 1913 shattered during demolition, erasing a link to Mumbai’s railway past; officials had previously stated that the plaque would be safely removed and restored before dismantling began
Lala Prajpati, a watchman in Parel, cleared the plaque of posters that have been stuck on it; (top) The damaged 1913 stone plaque on Elphinstone bridge. PICS/ASHISH RAJE
Despite earlier assurances that the historic elements of the century-old Elphinstone bridge would be carefully preserved, the original stone plaque bearing the 1913 date and builder’s details has been damaged during demolition work. The plaque — inscribed with “Parel Bridge-GIPR-1913-Contractor Bomanji Rustomji” and “P & W Maclellan Ltd., Clutha Works, GIPR, Glasgow” — was one of the last surviving artefacts linking the bridge to Mumbai’s early 20th-century railway heritage.
Officials had previously stated that the plaque would be safely removed and restored before dismantling began. However, on-site sources confirmed that the plate was struck and fractured by contractors’ machinery while demolishing the stone abutment. Heritage enthusiasts and local residents have expressed dismay, calling it a “careless loss of history” amid the rush to clear the structure for the new double-deck bridge project.
Built in 1913 by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR), the Elphinstone — later known as Prabhadevi bridge — connected Parel’s mill district with Prabhadevi’s western neighbourhoods. Its demolition is part of a large-scale infrastructure upgrade that will see a new double-deck road-over-rail bridge by 2027. Heritage lovers have long highlighted the cultural and historical value of the bridge’s details — from the imported Glasgow steel girders to the cast-iron plaques that bore testimony to Mumbai’s industrial rise.
The plaques on the Elphinstone bridge were more than ornamental — they were among the few surviving examples of early 20th-century railway engineering markers in Mumbai. Each plate recorded the bridge’s origin, builder, and the Scottish foundry that fabricated its steel — a tangible connection to the era when the GIPR built some of the city’s most enduring rail and road structures. Similar plaques adorn other demolished bridges which have been saved and documented. Experts point out that such markers serve as vital archival artefacts, offering material evidence of colonial-era industrial collaboration and local craftsmanship.
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