Even as the Elphinstone bridge was shut from Friday midnight, mid-day visited the site of the Sion bridge to find that the old structure is yet to be fully demolished, with railway teams still working on the foundations of a new foot overbridge.
As of Friday, the north end of the Sion bridge has been partially pulled down, while a small portion at the south end has been retained to allow pedestrian movement. Piling work for the new bridge structure has begun on the west side, while foundations for the foot overbridge are in place on both the west and east. Pillars have already come up on the east side, and work is underway on the west.
Sion bridge was shut for demolition and reconstruction on July 31, 2024. Pics/Atul Kamble
Local representatives, activists and residents had strongly objected to demolishing the bridge without providing alternatives. Schools like Our Lady of Good Counsel and Sadhana Vidyalaya lie on one side of the station, impacting student movement. The BEST bus depot is located in Sion West, leaving east-side commuters struggling to access regular buses. Responding to concerns, Central Railway clarified that it would not fully demolish the Sion bridge until a pedestrian foot overbridge linking east and west is in place.
Children play cricket at the entrance to the partially demolished Elphinstone bridge, on Sunday. Pic/Ashish Raje
“An alternative 56-metre-long, 3-metre-wide foot overbridge is being planned at the south end of the existing road bridge to maintain commuter movement to and from Dharavi. Work was delayed as 120 sq m of land, leased to the BMC for 99 years, was needed for construction. The BMC has now handed over the land to the railways, and the foundations of the foot overbridge are ready,” a railway official said.
Sion bridge reconstruction
The 110-year-old bridge connects the Eastern Express Highway to Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road and Dharavi Road. It had been declared dangerous a few years ago. An IIT audit report in 2020 had warned that the dilapidated bridge posed a grave risk as it hung over active railway lines long past its lifespan. The Central Railway and BMC are jointly reconstructing the bridge, which will also create space for two new rail lines — the 5th and 6th corridors. The existing 40-metre-long span over the railway will be extended to 51 metres.
Partial demolition work underway at Sion bridge, with a section retained for pedestrian movement. Pic/Atul Kamble
Voices of frustration
“Vehicular traffic was stopped on July 31, 2024. More than a year has passed, and barely any work has been done. The detour takes 30 minutes or more each way, and during the evening rush, it’s a nightmare. Alternative roads are always clogged. It’s high time authorities looked at suburban traffic instead of building fancy roads for the rich,” said Akbar Merchant, a media professional.
“They’ve taken so long with Sion bridge, and now Elphinstone shuts too? We’re stuck in never-ending jams. My office commute was already two hours because of Sion bridge. From tonight, it’ll only get worse,” said Ramesh Iyer, an IT professional. “Why close another bridge before finishing the first? Daily travel is becoming impossible. We feel helpless — these delays affect our lives every single day, but no one listens,” said Anita Kulkarni, a schoolteacher.
