The Mumbai Police have announced a temporary closure of the Elphinstone Bridge for vehicular traffic from 11.59 pm on Friday, September 12, to facilitate essential maintenance and construction work for the Worli-Sewri connector. The bridge, a key east-west link in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) area, will remain closed until further notice to ensure safety and efficient traffic management, stated authorities.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will resettle residents of two buildings affected by the Elphinstone Bridge construction—Lakshmi Niwas and Haji Noorani Chawl—within the same vicinity. The move, approved by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, covers 83 project-affected residents and provides relief to residents who have been demanding that they be relocated close to their original homes.
Earlier, 19 buildings were expected to be impacted by the construction work. However, structural adjustments by MMRDA reduced this number to 17, easing the resettlement process and saving an estimated Rs 5,200 crore. The revised plan is also expected to accelerate project completion.
Meanwhile, in view of the bridge closure, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Dr Dipal Dhate, outlined detailed diversion routes to minimise inconvenience for commuters and motorists.
Key traffic diversions
For vehicles heading from east to west across the city:
Commuters travelling from Dadar East to Dadar West and Dadar Market can use Tilak Bridge.
Vehicles from Parel East to west and Lower Parel should take the Parel Flyover
Those proceeding from Worli Sea Face to Parel via Breach Candy Hospital, towards Prabhadevi, Worli, Coastal Road, and Sea Link, may use Chinchpokli Bridge.
Vehicles from Prabhadevi and Lower Parel to Tilak Bridge Hospital will follow the designated route:
Travel from Prabhadevi and Lower Parel to Parel and Tata Hospital is permitted via the specified path.
KEM Hospital access will be routed through Curry Road Bridge between 3 pm and 11 pm.
Vehicles on coastal road, sea link heading to Prabhadevi and Worli towards Parel, as well as from Bycula East from 3 pm to 11 pm can use Chinchpokli Bridge.
Separate traffic planning has been announced for the Mahadev Palav Road Bridge (Curry Road Bridge) to manage peak-hour congestion:
From Comrade Karna Desai (Bharti Mata Junction) to Sing Master Chowk (Curry Road Bridge): Closure from 7 am to 3 pm.
From Sing Master Chowk (Curry Road Bridge) to Comrade Karna Desai: Diversion via 3 pm to 11 pm.
Remaining open on both sides (Curry Road Bridge) for vehicles: From 11 pm to 7 am.
No-parking zones have been enforced along several stretches to aid traffic flow, including:
NM Joshi Road – No Parking Road (Outer Road).
Senapati Bapat Road – Comrade Gulabrao Ganacharya Junction (Outer Road).
Junction of both sides – Comrade Gulabrao Ganacharya.
Shing Master Chowk (Both Sides) – Comrade Gulabrao Ganacharya.
Bhau Singharkar Road – Haji Mandir, Kabutar Khana to Gopinath Chavan.
Bhivandi Senapati Bapat Road – Haji Mandir to Portuguese Church (both sides).
Emergency arrangements: Ambulances are stationed at Prabhadevi and Parel railway station footbridges with wheelchairs available for patients to ensure access to hospitals like KEM and Tata during the closure.