Mumbai's New Double-Deck Elphinstone Bridge to Ease East-West Traffic
Mumbai’s skyline is set to welcome another engineering marvel — a double-deck Elphinstone bridge that will replace the 112-year-old structure linking Prabhadevi and Parel. Designed and executed by the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC), the new bridge will become one of the city’s rare multi-level road corridors, following the double-deck section on the Santacruz–Chembur Link Road (SCLR) near Kurla LTT Terminus.
The bridge is a part of the Sewri-Worli elevated connector being built by the MMRDA between the Atal Setu and the Coastal Road. The upcoming structure will carry both local and long-distance traffic across the Central and Western Railway lines, significantly decongesting one of Mumbai’s busiest east–west corridors.
The bridge will feature two distinct levels. The lower deck will cater to regular east–west traffic with two lanes in each direction, along with pedestrian footpaths. The upper deck will form part of the Sewri–Worli Elevated Connector, linking directly to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, the Coastal Road, and the Eastern Freeway network.
To minimize disruption to train operations, the span over the railway tracks will use open-web steel girders, offering wider clearances and faster installation during night rail blocks. Once completed, the Rs 167-crore project — targeted for completion by 2027 — is expected to ease congestion across Parel–Prabhadevi, improving connectivity between the city’s central and western stretches.
The Sewri-Worli Connector is a 4.5 km, four-lane elevated road project by the MMRDA in Mumbai that will connect the Atal Setu, Mumbai Coastal Road, and Bandra-Worli Sea Link, creating a seamless travel route. The entire stretch will be signal-free. The new Elphinstone bridge, which will replace the 112-year-old structure connecting Prabhadevi and Parel, is set to take shape as Mumbai’s yet another double-deck road overbridge.
Instead of the current 13-metre wide, MMRDA has planned a 17-metre wide, 132-metre long double-decker bridge. The lower deck will have 4 lanes (two for either side of traffic) and pedestrian paths, while the top deck will feature four lanes leading directly into the Sewri-Worli Connector. The first such bridge in Mumbai has been the Santacruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) with a double-decker design over Kurla LTT Terminus.
At the Sewri-end, where the bridge connects to the Atal Setu, it passes over Sewri railway station and the Eastern Freeway at a height of 21m, making it one of the highest road over bridges in the city. The bridge will feature two distinct levels — the lower deck will cater to regular east-west local traffic with two lanes on each side and pedestrian footpaths, while the upper deck will form part of the larger Sewri–Worli Elevated Connector, linking directly to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and the upcoming coastal and eastern freeway corridors.
The ongoing dismantling work on the Elphinstone bridge is a significant milestone in the project. The new bridge is expected to transform the traffic dynamics in the region, offering a much-needed solution to the chronic congestion that plagues the area. The project, executed by MRIDC and MMRDA, is a testament to the city's commitment to modern infrastructure and improved connectivity.
