Many new bridges to soon come up in Mumbai, but will they ease congestion?

An under-construction bridge at Vikhroli West. Pic/Anurag Ahire

The city and suburbs are getting new elevated connectors to improve east-west connectivity - long in demand and now finally taking shape. But, with no coordination or planning with local traffic authorities and stakeholders, these road-over-bridges may become red zones on Google Maps, turning into traffic gridlocks instead of seamless connectors.

Are they solutions or hubs of elevated chaos? Locals are asking. While the good news is that some of these bridges will open as early as this year, with others following in the next two years, concerns remain about whether they will ease congestion or create new choke points.

mid-day takes a look at key bridges that will undoubtedly enhance connectivity but could also become bottlenecks due to poor planning and the lack of coordination with local traffic police. The influx of new vehicles at already jammed junctions raises red flags.

Vidyavihar Bridge

Vidyavihar bridge on west side on Mar 19. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Slated to open by mid-2026, this east-west bridge near Vidyavihar station could create fresh bottlenecks. The biggest trouble spots will be the Rajawadi junction on MG Road and the Tilak Nagar junction. Though the BMC aims to improve connectivity between the Eastern Express Highway, Ghatkopar Mahul Road, and LBS Road, the influx of traffic could lead to severe congestion on either side of the station.

Ravi Mahadik, resident
"The new Vidyavihar connector will help ease traffic on Ghatkopar's Haweli Bridge and serve as an alternative to the Chembur-Santacruz Link Road. However, it may also create a major bottleneck at Sindhu Society on MG Road and increase congestion on Nathani Road. The BMC should take preventive measures during the bridge construction to mitigate these issues."

New Byculla Bridge

The new cable-stayed bridge at Byculla in Mumbai on March 18. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The railways and the BMC are working on a new cable-stayed east-west bridge at Byculla, but traffic woes loom. On the west side, congestion is expected in front of the fire brigade head office due to narrow roads, while on the east, traffic volume will surge. The construction is planned in two stages: first, a parallel bridge will be built without disturbing the existing one. Once operational, the old bridge will be reconstructed, temporarily diverting traffic to the new structure.

Madhuri Mohan Pednekar, teacher and primary section in-charge at Hume High School, Byculla

"Due to the ongoing bridge work, traffic congestion has worsened. Even if we leave home on time, we still struggle to reach school on time. The situation is chaotic, and with poorly planned landings, things will only get worse."

Vikhroli East-West Connector

Under-construction bridge at Vikhroli West. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Expected to open in 2025, this bridge will connect the Eastern Express Highway to LBS Road but is likely to bring traffic chaos on both ends. At the Vikhroli station road junction, vehicles from the east will flood the area, leading to long queues and jams. In the east, the Tagore Nagar junction will also see heavy congestion as vehicles descending from the bridge will intersect with cross-traffic, creating a messy gridlock.

George Swamy, resident
"If corrective action isn't taken now, new east-west bridge in Vikhroli will create traffic chaos on both sides. In the west, congestion will worsen at the LBS junction due to ongoing Metro work, the skywalk, and existing vehicle movement. In the east, vehicles descending from the bridge will likely slow down near the junction of Tagore Nagar, Kannamwar Nagar, and the Eastern Express Highway. A proper traffic management plan must be put in place before the bridge opens."

SCLR North Extension to Santacruz Junction

Crucial construction of a girder over northbound stretch of Kalina-Vakola flyover on WEH was completed on Feb 4. File Pic/Ashish Raje

Set to open in 2025, this bridge will land near the Panbai International School junction on the Western Express Highway in Santacruz. Instead of easing traffic, it is likely to worsen the congestion at an already chaotic junction, creating a major bottleneck for free-flowing vehicles.

Dhaval Shah, president, Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA)
"There are many instances where public infrastructure projects have caused more chaos instead of solving the problems they were intended to address. A prime example is the bridge passing over Telli Galli Junction in Andheri East, which suffers from poor planning. The bridge should have had an additional landfall point across the Western Express Highway to prevent the traffic buildup it now causes during peak hours. The BMC should conduct public hearings for such projects, similar to the Metro authorities, to ensure they align with real commuter needs. It's good to see mid-day highlighting the issue of poorly planned infrastructure projects."

Cops Speak

"The construction of the SCLR arm passing over WEH and heading towards the domestic airport will benefit commuters and motorists using the flyover. However, we anticipate traffic congestion where the flyover lands on the northbound stretch of WEH," said a traffic police official.

"Vikhroli bridge lands in a chaotic area, it will cause problems if a new signalised junction is not introduced at the LBS junction. On the eastern side, there will be a bottleneck. We have written to BMC to initiate the process. We are also planning a consultation meeting with the BMC," said an official from Ghatkopar traffic branch.