The 125-year-old Elphinstone Road Over Bridge (ROB), a key east-west connector built during the British era, will be closed for two years. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is planning to demolish it in the last week of February. The bridge passes over the railway tracks near Prabhadevi and Parel stations and will be dismantled to facilitate the construction of the Sewri-Worli Connector, as well as to expand its height and width.
The demolition is a crucial part of a larger project to create a double-decker structure, similar to the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road, which will improve connectivity. The upper deck will connect to the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, while the lower deck will maintain east-west traffic flow. The 4.5-km Sewri-Worli connector aims to alleviate congestion in the area, which has already seen rising traffic due to the ongoing closure of Sion Bridge and other major routes.
With limited alternative routes, including Tilak Bridge and the newly opened Delisle Road Bridge, commuters can expect heightened congestion and longer travel times.
