The 112-year-old Sion Rail Over Bridge’s (ROB) demolition can disrupt about 10,000 commuters' lives. At least 20 Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus routes will be changed. Routes for five buses will be terminated near the bridge. Routes of 15 buses will be diverted from the Chunabhatti-BKC connector and Pila Bungalow.
The Central Railway (CR) decided to demolish the Sion ROB in the January or first week of February days to clear space for the railway’s 5th and 6th lines.
An official from CR said they have all the permits to close this bridge for traffic. Some preliminary work has already begun on the bridge. They are now barricading the area and issuing public notices about diversions.
This bridge serves as the primary link between the Eastern Express Highway and Dharavi. Many BEST buses currently traverse it. An official from BEST said that 15 routes will be altered or changed. He said that out of five routes of two buses will terminate at the Rani Laxmi Bai Chowk bus depot in Sion.
Residents of Mumbai are demanding from BEST to come up with new bus routes from Sion station’s west side to south Mumbai, western, and eastern suburbs. Given that the Sion ROB is a major junction, hundreds of commuters from Dharavi rely on BEST buses. The introduction of new routes from Sion station would greatly facilitate people who commute via this route.
In addition, BEST has suggested cutting down on the distance travelled from Dharavi depot to Pila Bungalow by at least 3-4 km by permitting bus traffic to use the Dharavi 90-foot road. However, a BEST official asserts that BMC has not yet made a decision owing to traffic congestion on the 90-foot road.
The east-west traffic flow is expected to be greatly impacted by the demolition of Sion ROB. It could cause congestion on alternate routes like the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR). To get around the closure, drivers are recommended to detour via Kurla and make connections with the Eastern Motorway and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg.
It is expected that the demolition process will take around three months, during which time passengers will have to modify their travel plans. It is estimated that the reconstruction process will take around two years after the dismantling stage. The entire project, which includes the railway and BMC segments, is projected to cost INR 50 crore.
The new bridge will feature a single span of approximately 51 meters. It will accommodate six tracks too. An official said that for the additional two lines, they need about 15 meters more space. Hence, they have decided to reconstruct the bridge with a 51-meter single span. This innovative design will not only increase the capacity of the bridge but also raise the bridge's height by over 30 centimeters. This change will provide a safeguard against flooding during the monsoon season.
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