Reopening of Sion Road Over Bridge Delayed to Late September
The reopening of the Sion Road Over Bridge (ROB) in Sion has been delayed yet again after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation sought an additional 45 days to complete remaining civil works. The bridge, which was previously expected to reopen by August 15, is now likely to be ready by the end of September.
The delay comes even as Central Railway on Sunday successfully completed the launching of the second 500-tonne semi-through steel girder over the operational railway corridor. With this installation, both massive steel girders required for the bridge structure are now in place.
Central Railway executed the placement of the two girders during specially planned three-hour night traffic and power blocks between Matunga and Kurla. Railway authorities stated that carrying out the work during these night blocks allowed the installation to proceed with minimal disruption to suburban train services, calling the successful launch a major step toward completing the overall project.
The placement of the girders followed multiple delays. The first 500-tonne girder was launched on June 22 after several postponements. The second girder, originally scheduled for June 20 and subsequently pushed to June 30, was finally launched during the latest night block.
Despite the completion of the major railway-side girder work, motorists will have to wait longer for the bridge to reopen. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation still has to complete remaining civil infrastructure, including the approach roads and related works. The latest extension pushes the project's earlier mid-August deadline back by nearly one-and-a-half months.
The century-old Sion bridge has remained closed since August 2024, causing significant inconvenience to motorists and commuters. Its closure has forced traffic onto alternative routes, resulting in congestion in surrounding areas.
The reconstruction is being jointly undertaken by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Central Railway. While the railways is responsible for the portion of the bridge passing directly over the railway tracks, the civic body is handling the approach roads, two pedestrian underpasses, and related infrastructure.
The total project cost has also increased from around Rs 42.8 crore to nearly Rs 50 crore, following the addition of steel girders and approach road-related works. With both major girders now securely in place, focus has shifted to completing the remaining civic works before the bridge can be reopened to traffic.
