The 125-year-old Elphinstone Bridge is scheduled to be demolished on September 10 to make space for a double-decker elevated corridor under the Sewri-Worli Elevated Road project. This new corridor has been planned to connect directly with the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (Atal Setu), ensuring smoother, signal-free travel across South Mumbai.
Approval for the closure of the bridge to vehicular traffic has been granted by the traffic police, clearing a major hurdle for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). Demolition will commence immediately after the bridge is shut down on the night of September 10. MMRDA had earlier planned the demolition in February, but repeated opposition from local residents caused delays and forced revisions to the plan.
The Prabhadevi section of the project, considered one of the most critical points of construction, has witnessed significant setbacks. A central issue has been the rehabilitation of residents living in 19 neighbouring buildings that were initially marked for demolition. Following strong resistance, the design was modified to impact only two buildings. However, residents of these two structures demanded on-site rehabilitation and collective redevelopment of all 19 buildings, which further stalled progress.
In April, widespread protests led to the postponement of demolition, compelling the state government to step in. A meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde brought relief to affected families. It was decided that all residents from the 19 buildings would be provided redeveloped housing at the same site, with MMRDA given responsibility for execution.
Despite this resolution, uncertainty remains over whether demolition work at Prabhadevi will move ahead smoothly after September 10. The bridge closure and subsequent demolition hold the key to advancing the Sewri-Worli Elevated Road, which has already been delayed significantly.
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