Maharashtra MMRDA Sets April 2026 Prabhadevi Bridge Deadline
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has instructed the Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation (MRIDC) to accelerate work on the Prabhadevi road over bridge (ROB) and complete its railway-span reconstruction by April 2026, in a bid to shore up critical east–west connectivity ahead of wider network rollouts. The directive adds urgency to one of the Sewri–Worli Elevated Connector’s most technically demanding segments, involving demolition and rebuilding around active railway corridors.
The Prabhadevi ROB — part of the broader Sewri–Worli elevated road project — replaces a century-old bridge that once accommodated heavy commuter and freight flows across railway lines in central Mumbai. While the MMRDA’s contractor is progressing on the non-railway portions of the structure, the MRIDC remains responsible for the challenging sections directly over the working railway tracks. Officials have warned that delays in the railway segment could set back the full project’s late-2026 target unless progress is fast-tracked.The authority’s push for an April finish comes as part of an effort to synchronise the ROB’s delivery with wider mobility plans in the metropolitan region. Urban transport planners see Prabhadevi as a bottleneck whose timely reopening could relieve pressure on parallel east–west thoroughfares — including Dadar’s Tilak Bridge and Curry Road crossings — which currently absorb overflow traffic and contribute to congestion in residential and commercial nodes.
Work on the bridge is constrained by complex coordination with both the Western Railway and Central Railway networks, which run busy suburban and long-distance services through the corridor. Authorities have repeatedly emphasised that demolition and reconstruction can only occur during limited nightly blocks when train traffic is paused, making execution slower and more sensitive than typical road projects. MRIDC officials also cite technical hurdles and procedural requirements around “block” approvals as factors complicating the schedule.Despite these challenges, the MMRDA’s insistence on an accelerated timeline reflects broader strategic priorities for Maharashtra’s urban infrastructure rollout. The Sewri–Worli corridor is designed to dovetail with other key transport investments — including the Mumbai TransHarbour Link and expanding metro network — that together aim to diversify commute options and improve network resilience across the metropolitan region. A completed Prabhadevi bridge would not only reconnect vital east–west flows but also reduce dependency on older crossings that struggle under peak loads.
At the same time, local stakeholders caution that compressed targets must be balanced with safety and quality control, given the engineering complexity of working above live rail tracks and within dense urban fabric. Community groups and transport experts have also called for transparent reporting on progress and impacts to minimise disruption for commuters and nearby residents.
Looking forward, meeting the April 2026 milestone will be seen as a litmus test for integrated project delivery in Mumbai — a city where technical difficulty, land constraints, and multimodal coordination have historically slowed infrastructure upgrades. Successful acceleration could set a precedent for future projects in Maharashtra’s urban mobility agenda.
