The demolition of the 125-year-old Elphinstone Bridge in Mumbai has finally begun. The process of removing this bridge started smoothly with police arrangements on the night of September 12. This work is expected to last for a total of 60 days, during which significant changes have been made to the city's traffic management. As a result, traffic congestion has developed in various parts of the city.
Changes in Traffic Route
Alternative routes have been initiated due to the closure of traffic on the Elphinstone Bridge. This bridge used to connect East and West Mumbai. Currently, there is more congestion observed in the Curry Road and Parel areas. Police presence has been increased at Curry Road Junction, and efforts are underway to redirect vehicle movements in the correct direction. According to the new plan, the bridge will be reconstructed in a double-decker manner, and it is expected to take approximately two years to complete this work.
New Traffic Guidelines
The Mumbai Traffic Police have implemented new rules for vehicles traveling in both directions. The Curry Road Bridge is currently one-way. It will remain open in one direction from 7 AM to 3 PM and from 3 PM to 11 PM. However, after 11 PM until 7 AM, vehicles can travel in both directions.
Vehicles traveling from Parel to Prabhadevi and Lower Parel are allowed to use the Curry Road Bridge. It is advised to use the Tilak Bridge from Dadar East to travel from east to west. The Chinchpokli Bridge is available as an alternative route for vehicles heading towards Parel, Byculla, Prabhadevi, Worli, Coastal Road, and Sea Link.
No Parking Zone Designated
To ensure smooth traffic flow, no parking rules have been implemented on certain roads. These include Na. M. Joshi Marg, Senapati Bapat Marg, Mahadev Palav Marg, Sane Guruji Marg, Bhavani Shankar Marg, Rao Bahadur S. K. Bole Marg, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg. Parking on both sides of these roads is completely prohibited.