Mumbai’s much-awaited Gokhale Bridge is finally set to fully open on May 15, bringing relief to Andheri East residents who have endured years of traffic chaos. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed the second arm of the vital east-west connector is on track, six months behind schedule but without the misalignment issues that plagued the first phase.

Once the east–west arm of Gokhale Bridge linking to the Barfiwala flyover opens, motorists heading from the Western Express Highway to the JVPD Scheme signal can expect a smoother ride, cutting travel time by 10 to 15 minutes.

The long-awaited completion of Gokhale Bridge comes after 7 years of setbacks, from legal delays and steel shortages to a costly 2.8-metre misalignment with the Barfiwala Flyover during Phase 1. The bridge was deemed unsafe following a tragic 2018 collapse that claimed two lives, prompting a full demolition in 2022 after an IIT-Bombay audit.

Unlike the first phase, which faced structural issues upon its February 2024 launch, BMC officials assure that the second phase, slated to open by May 15, will be free of such problems. However, at the western end, vehicles will need to make a sharp 90-degree left turn toward Juhu, as the road ahead is dug up for the JVPD flyover construction. To complicate matters, traffic from the road beneath the flyover also merges at the same junction. Citizen groups like LOCA and MNCDF, alongside MLA Ameet Satam, are closely monitoring the final stages of the project.

Once fully functional, the bridge is expected to ease traffic snarls across Andheri and reduce pressure on alternatives like the waterlogged Andheri subway and narrow Irla flyover. While concerns linger over the bridge’s narrow footpaths and ongoing Juhu Circle flyover work, officials promise safety upgrades and smoother access post-launch.