Elphinstone Bridge row: MLA Kalidas Kolambakar assures public, closure only after demands are addressed

Pic/Atul Kamble

Hours after residents staged rasta rokos protesting the planned demolition of the Elphinstone Bridge without their rehabilitation demands being addressed, local MLA Kalidas Kolambakar assured them that he had spoken with the Chief Minister. He confirmed that the bridge would not be shut down until the authorities address their concerns on Monday. As a result, the bridge may remain open until then.

High Tension at Elphinstone Bridge

Emotions ran high on Friday evening at the Elphinstone Bridge - also known as Karol Bridge - as agitated locals blocked traffic by staging multiple rasta rokos. Authorities, who had initially planned to shut the bridge at 9 PM, were forced to delay the closure until midnight due to mounting pressure from the protestors.

Traffic Chaos on Alternate Routes

Alternate east-west routes like the Currey Road Bridge, Delisle Road Bridge in Lower Parel, and the Tilak Bridge in Dadar are witnessing increased congestion. Traffic authorities anticipate the situation will worsen on Monday, the first full working day following the closure.

Phased Shutdown Begins

The shutdown began in phases at 6 PM on Friday. Authorities first diverted private vehicles, followed by ambulances, and eventually public transport and two-wheelers. The closure is expected to significantly impact access to key hospitals in the area, including K.E.M., Wadia, and Tata Memorial.

Demolition and Reconstruction Plans

The bridge's demolition will proceed in phases. The MMRDA is responsible for dismantling the non-railway section, while the railway portion will be handled by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (MahaRail or MRIDC). While MMRDA has already submitted its dismantling plan, MahaRail admitted that its demolition blueprint for the railway portion is still being finalised.

Railways Yet to Finalise Demolition Plan

In a surprising revelation, MahaRail acknowledged that it has not yet finalised a demolition strategy in consultation with the zonal railways, even though the bridge closure commenced on Friday night.

Foot Overbridge Still Incomplete

Despite traffic diversion plans being rolled out, a crucial pedestrian foot overbridge between Parel and Prabhadevi remains incomplete. As reported by mid-day earlier this month, the bridge ends abruptly mid-air, continuing to pose a major inconvenience for pedestrians.