Mumbai’s Byculla ‘Y’ Bridge, which has served the city for more than 100 years, is being replaced with a new cable-stayed road overbridge. The new structure will improve travel between South Mumbai, Dadar and the Eastern Express Highway.
The Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MahaRail) is building the new bridge. The work is 80% complete despite facing many delays due to logistical problems. The original deadline was 2024. It later moved to June 2025 and then October 2025.
The latest target for opening is March 2026. The new bridge will be 916 metres long. It will have four lanes and is being built at the cost of INR 287 crore. Interestingly, the construction site is above a busy market and active railway lines. This has caused major engineering challenges. However, construction has continued without stopping traffic.
It will use a single central pylon. This will double the traffic capacity of the original bridge. The design also plans to change the look of the Byculla skyline with cable structures and lighting. The cable span helps reduce the number of foundations in the railway area. Engineers have placed pylons in a way that avoids the MCGM market zone.
As per sources, the cable-lifting work is in progress. The deck slab is already laid. Work on the slab surface is also going on. The bridge is being built on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, which is a key connection in central Mumbai.
When the project is complete, a part of the original structure will remain. It will be included in the new design. The new bridge will include many modern elements. There will be a three-level utility duct for telecom and electric cables. There will be tricolour LED lighting for national events.
The old Byculla ‘Y’ Bridge was built in 1922. It was declared unsafe after an IIT-Bombay audit in 2018. This audit took place after the Gokhale Bridge collapse.
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