Carnac Bunder Bridge to Reopen This Week After Railway Clearance: Major Relief for South Mumbai Commuters

Mumbai, June 25: After years of anticipation and delays, the newly constructed Carnac Bunder Bridge at Masjid Bunder is finally set to open for vehicular traffic this week, following a long-awaited clearance from Central Railway on Tuesday. The bridge's inauguration is expected to significantly ease chronic traffic congestion in South Mumbai.
The original 154-year-old structure, built in 1868, was declared unsafe during a structural audit and subsequently demolished in November 2022. A critical connector between South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs, the bridge links key transport routes including the Eastern Freeway and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link.
Closed to heavy vehicles since 2014 due to safety concerns, the bridge’s reconstruction had faced multiple delays. Primary causes included pending work on the adjacent Hancock Bridge and issues related to local encroachments. Despite these hurdles, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pushed through, completing major construction on June 10. A successful load test followed on June 15, with the final nod from Central Railway arriving this week.
Abhijeet Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), confirmed that the No Objection Certificate (NOC) was received on Tuesday, clearing the way for the bridge’s opening.
Constructed at a cost of ₹60 crore, the new bridge features a modern 70-metre-long and 9.5-metre-wide steel superstructure. Unlike its predecessor, which accommodated only two lanes, the revamped bridge now supports four vehicular lanes—promising smoother and more efficient traffic flow in the area.
Local commuters, transporters, and residents are expected to benefit immensely from the bridge’s reopening, which restores a key artery in Mumbai’s transport infrastructure.
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