Stories
Mumbai Set to Open New Sion Bridge Replacing 112-Year-Old Structure
- •A newly constructed bridge replacing a 112-year-old colonial-era overpass near Sion railway station is expected to open to traffic soon.
- •The bridge features a pillar-free design with a single span of 54.5 metres to accommodate proposed fifth and sixth railway lines.
- •The old structure was declared unsafe by IIT Bombay in 2019 and dismantled to facilitate the Mumbai Urban Transport Project.
- •The reopening of the bridge is expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in Sion, Kurla, and Dharavi areas.
- •Central Railway and the BMC collaborated on the project, with officials setting an aggressive deadline to open the bridge ahead of schedule.
Key Questions Answered
The 112-year-old colonial-era overpass was declared unsafe following a structural safety audit conducted by IIT Bombay in 2019. Authorities dismantled it to reconstruct a new bridge, facilitating two additional railway lines under the Mumbai Urban Transport Project.
The new Sion bridge features a single span measuring 54.5 metres and a width of 29 metres. Its pillar-free design positioned over the railway tracks ensures sufficient space for the proposed fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus and Kurla.
The entire project is being funded by railway authorities. Central Railway managed the reconstruction of the main bridge and girder section over the tracks, while the BMC's bridges department handled the reconstruction and strengthening of the approach roads.
