Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the newly constructed Sindoor Bridge in South Mumbai, replacing the British-era Carnac Bridge, which had stood since the 1860s. The new structure is expected to ease vehicular congestion in the critical CST–Masjid Bunder corridor — one of the city’s busiest railway-linked zones.
The now-demolished Carnac Bridge, originally named after colonial governor James Rivett Carnac, was dismantled in 2022 after being deemed structurally unsafe. In alignment with the Union government’s vision to remove colonial-era symbols from Indian civic life, the state government has renamed the rebuilt bridge as Sindoor Bridge. According to Chief Minister Fadnavis, the new name pays tribute to the Indian armed forces and commemorates their precision-driven success during Operation Sindoor, a strategic cross-border military mission. Fadnavis also referred to historical accounts highlighting the injustices carried out during Carnac’s tenure, particularly against Indian rulers such as Chhatrapati Pratapsingh Maharaj and Mudhoji Raje.
Speaking at the event, he stated that “symbols of colonial subjugation have no place in independent India” and lauded the bridge renaming as a necessary cultural correction. He also credited the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker for initiating the name change, which was formally approved by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The newly built Sindoor Bridge extends 342 metres in total length, including a 70-metre stretch constructed directly above active railway lines — a feat of precision engineering achieved in the heart of one of Mumbai’s most densely built urban pockets. Despite the technical and logistical challenges, the project was completed on schedule, thanks to coordinated efforts between the BMC and the railway authorities. Urban experts believe the bridge will play a key role in decongesting traffic and reducing vehicle idling time — contributing indirectly to emissions control and fuel savings. For commuters navigating South Mumbai’s traffic gridlock, the bridge is expected to offer both relief and improved connectivity.
While Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were notably absent from the inauguration ceremony, Fadnavis’s leadership at the helm of this symbolic and functional infrastructure upgrade underscores the administration’s broader urban renewal agenda — one that seeks to blend efficient mobility with cultural reorientation.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis Inaugurates Sindoor Bridge Replacing Colonial-Era Carnac Bridge
