Changing City Madh Island Versova Bridge To Cut Mumbai Commute To 10 Minutes

Travel time between Mumbai’s Madh Island and Versova is set to be drastically reduced to just 10 minutes, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) planning a Rs 2,395-crore cable-stayed flyover connecting the two areas. If everything goes as per plans, the civic body aims to start the construction by the end of monsoon and open the bridge by 2029.

Currently, Madh Island and Versova, located in Mumbai’s western suburbs, have no direct road connectivity and are separated by Malad Creek. Despite being important residential and commercial areas, commuters travelling between them must take a circuitous 18-20 km route, consuming 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic.

A jetty service also connects the two areas, but it operates for only around eight months of the year and remains suspended during the monsoon. With services limited and not always frequent, many commuters continue to rely on the longer road journey.

The flyover will pass above the Malad Creek and will provide easy access to basic facilities such as hospitals and schools to people living in the islands. The flyover was conceived in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) development plan (DP) model in 1967. However, the project was formalised on paper only in 2015. The final blueprint for the project was finalised in 2020, and the work orders were issued in 2024.

The bridge will be cable-stayed and will comprise four vehicular lanes providing smooth flow of vehicles. In addition, the bridge will also have a wider carriageway to cater to the growing traffic density. The length of the bridge will be 2.06 km and will be 600 metres wide.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has started the basic work for this bridge, including soil testing and station survey. The civic body will initiate the civil works after the Bombay High Court (HC) issues its clearance. The last hearing was held in July, and the final hearing could be held by September.

According to BMC, the bridge will entirely change the commute landscape of Mumbai’s western suburbs. “The alignment of the bridge ensures minimum damage to the environment and the bridge will be entirely cable-stayed, which means that we will carry out piling work at a limited capacity,” Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), told The Indian Express.

Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India. Expertise & Authority Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai. Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in: Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting. City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region. Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis: National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019. State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019. Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis. Experience Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies: Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014). Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express. Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More