Mumbai’s civic authority has re-initiated a long-dormant infrastructure plan to construct a Rs 220 crore flyover linking Mahim and Bandra East, a move aimed at relieving chronic congestion along the city’s busiest arterial, the Western Express Highway (WEH). After multiple unsuccessful tender attempts stalled the project over nearly three years, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a fresh invitation for bids — a procedural reset that underscores persistent urban mobility challenges confronting Asia’s most densely populated metropolis.
The proposed elevated link will connect the Fishermen Colony stretch on Senapati Bapat Marg in Mahim with the Bandra East corridor near the Kalanagar flyover, crossing the ecologically sensitive Mithi River. At an estimated length of 1 – 1.5 km, it targets a critical bottleneck where peak-hour queues frequently stretch well beyond Bandra East’s Mithi Chowk, with ripple effects felt in neighbouring hubs such as Dadar, Khar and Santacruz. Commuters report daily delays of 20–30 minutes attributable to this choke point, highlighting the economic costs of congestion in a global financial centre.Planners envisage the flyover as part of an emerging network of decongestion infrastructure that complements the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, SV Road, and existing WEH corridors. Once completed, it is expected to deliver smoother connectivity between the western suburbs and southern Mumbai, shrinking travel times, enhancing freight reliability and easing commuter stress. However, its prolonged gestation reflects broader procedural and market constraints — including past tender failures where no bidders came forward within stipulated deadlines.
Urban mobility experts note that the project’s resurrection comes at a time when Mumbai’s traffic volumes are swelling with rising vehicle ownership and limited road capacity expansion. The WEH corridor, in particular, has become synonymous with peak congestion, impeding not just daily commutes but the city’s capacity to support economic growth and freight logistics. The revived tender signals the civic body’s recognition that episodic improvements within the existing road network must be supplemented by strategic capital projects.Yet experts also urge an integrated approach that pairs flyover construction with sustainable alternatives, including greater public transport adoption and non-motorised mobility corridors. With the city’s sustainable transport strategy still evolving, stand-alone elevated corridors risk perpetuating car-centric planning unless complemented by investments in mass transit and active mobility. Analysts argue that a flyover alone may only provide temporary relief if peak demand continues to outstrip supply.
Environmental regulators will also have a role to play, as any construction over the Mithi River requires clearances that balance ecological sensitivity with commuter needs. Civic officials have indicated that the fresh tender reflects careful incorporation of previous technical feedback, signalling renewed optimism that the project can finally move from blueprint to build phase this fiscal year.
As Mumbai advances towards a multi-modal transport future, the Mahim–Bandra East flyover could serve as both a tactical congestion alleviator and a prompt for broader systemic change — provided it is executed with integrated planning, sustainability safeguards and commuter-centric outcomes firmly in view.
