3 minutes of readingBombayFebruary 6, 2026 03:04 pm IST
A newly constructed Sion Bridge in Mumbai will come into operation in July this year, aiming to provide better connectivity between the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg.
Why a new bridge?
Zion is one of the densely populated areas in the center Bombaywhich houses the congested Dharavi slum area. Previously, there was a British-era Railway Bridge (ROB) that provided east-west connectivity. However, a structural audit carried out in 2019 revealed the precarious state of the bridge. Subsequently, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) submitted a proposal to demolish the structure and replace it with a new one.
Construction schedule
In August 2024, the bridge was closed for demolition work. However, demolition work could not begin until April last year due to the removal of multiple obstacles at the site, including toilet blocks and a BEST electrical room. However, these structures have been relocated and construction work continues at full capacity. Civic body officials said the new bridge will be completed by July 2026.
Bridge Features
The new bridge will be 61 meters long, instead of the 40 meters of the previous structure, and will have four lanes for smooth traffic flow, instead of two. The BMC said the longer and wider carriageways have been designed to accommodate higher density of vehicles. The bridge will also have a dedicated footpath to provide direct access to citizens going to or leaving Sion station.
The bridge will also have an underpass to facilitate traffic and pedestrian circulation.
Construction costs
The cost of this ROB has been pegged at Rs 60 crore and is a joint venture between BMC and Central Railway.
The administration speaks
“Though the progress of work was slow initially, machinery was deployed at the site. The pace of work was accelerated after the blockades were removed and is currently continuing at full speed. The rest of the work will not require much time as we aim to further increase the pace of work after the monsoon. Therefore, it is safe to say that we will be able to open the new bridge for vehicle movement by July 2026, and in February 2027, we intend to open the underpass.” said Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).
