Heart Of Dharavi: 112-year-old Iconic Sion Road Bridge To Be Demolished, Mumbaikars Bid Adieu

Mumbai: Preparations are underway to bid farewell to the iconic 112-year-old Sion Road Over Bridge as authorities gear up to initiate its demolition next week, as per reports. This move aims to make way for the proposed expansion of the 5th and 6th rail lines, linking Kurla to Parel. The Sion Road Bridge was constructed in 1912. It has stood as a crucial link connecting Dharavi, LBS Road, and the Eastern Express Highway. The demolition process will go on for the next three months. 

The demolition of the Sion Road Over Bridge is anticipated to impact the east-west traffic flow. The alternative routes like the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road are expected to witness congestion, whereas motorists will have to divert via Kurla, connecting the Eastern Expressway and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. 

Following the demolition of Sion Road Bridge, reconstruction of proposed Railways expansion is scheduled to conclude in two years, with an estimated budget of Rs 50 crore allocated for both the railway and BMC segments. The fifth and sixth Central Railway (CR) lines aims at segregating mail/express and suburban train traffic while enabling an increase in suburban services along the current fast corridors. These additional lines, presently situated between Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) and Kalyan, are slated for expansion up to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in two phases.

The expansion project envisions laying these lines to the west of the existing tracks at Sion station. However, the proposed area for the new tracks is presently occupied by the pillars of the existing bridge structure. This presents a challenge that needs to be addressed to facilitate the extension of the CR lines and optimise railway traffic management in Mumbai.