Mumbai Traffic Update: 112-Year-Old Sion Bridge Set for Early Reopening by October 2026

The century-old Sion railway overbridge is entering the home stretch of its reconstruction, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pushing to wrap up all remaining work well before its original deadline.

Why the Bridge Is Being Rebuilt

The existing Sion bridge, roughly 112 years old, was declared structurally unsafe and is being replaced as part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP-2). The upgrade will also clear the way for two new railway lines — the fifth and sixth — that Central Railway is building between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla.

Central Railway is handling the main bridge structure over the tracks, while BMC's Bridges Department is rebuilding and reinforcing the approach roads on either side, working in coordination with the railways. Railways is funding the entire project.

Timeline: Moving Up the Deadline

Although the tender originally set a February 2027 completion date, BMC has directed teams to finish early. Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar inspected the site personally and instructed officials to prioritise the work so the bridge could open ahead of schedule, with October 15, 2026 set as the internal target for finishing all remaining tasks.

A later update indicates the project has since slipped slightly from an earlier August 15 target and is now expected to be ready by September 30, once BMC's approach-road work and the necessary coordination with railway authorities are complete.

Construction Progress So Far

• Girder work: Central Railway completed concreting the deck slab of the first 500-tonne steel girder on August 21, followed by the second girder on August 29.
• Current focus: Crews are now installing crash barriers on both girders and applying the concrete wearing coat to the deck slabs. Central Railway has confirmed that its portion of the work — the railway span — is now fully complete.
• Western approach road: The stretch from Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg to Sant Rohidas Marg in Dharavi is in its final stages.
• Eastern approach road: Central Railway handed over the required land to BMC on August 25, allowing reinforced concrete work to begin and progress quickly since.

What Makes the New Bridge Different

The rebuilt bridge will be a single 54.5-metre span, 29 metres wide, with no supporting pillars underneath. Removing the pillars frees up the space needed for the two additional railway lines planned beneath it.

Expected Impact on Traffic

Once operational, the bridge is expected to significantly ease congestion across the Sion–Dharavi–Kurla–LBS Marg corridor, a stretch that commuters and motorists have long flagged as a bottleneck.