Elphinstone Bridge Demolition Triggers Traffic Nightmare In Mumbai; 11 Bus Routes Diverted, Fares Set To Rise

Mumbai is reeling from widespread traffic disruptions, delays and commuter frustration after the Elphinstone Road over-bridge closure. The bridge was shut late Friday to make way for its demolition and replacement by a double-decker bridge as part of the Sewri-Worli elevated connector project.

The Elphinstone bridge links Parel and Prabhadevi, an essential east-west route used by an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 commuters daily. Now with the bridge gone, traffic bottlenecks have sprung up across central Mumbai. A ride that used to take 15 minutes between Sion and Dadar has stretched over an hour. A journey from Navi Mumbai to Parel, which was previously about 45 minutes, is now taking close to two hours.

Traffic police report serious choke points at Tilak Bridge, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, Currey Road, Chinchpokli, and Gokhale Road have been severely affected. At 10.30 in the morning, jams were already pervasive. Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumbhare said authorities have assigned 100 traffic wardens across three shifts, 50 extra police personnel, and 25 jawans from the Maharashtra Security Force to try to manage the diversions.

#Mumbai #MumbaiTraffic

One word to Describe DADAR TILAK BRIDGE since yesterday is
GRIDLOCK

Absolute chaos.... Shutting the #ElphinstoneBridge without any viable alternative is absolute Senseless.

It was already overburdened after the Sion bridge closure.@MTPHereToHelp… pic.twitter.com/hr1RGz476Y

— मुंबई Matters™🇮🇳 (@mumbaimatterz) September 14, 2025

Meanwhile, MSRTC has announced temporary rerouting of bus services from Parel depot to adapt to the bridge closure. Ordinary and semi-luxury buses travelling between Parel and Dadar now follow a longer path, via Madke Buwa Chowk, Parel T.T. Junction, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, Krishna Nagar Junction, among other turns, before reaching their usual destinations. Premium Shivneri and e-Shivneri services are also affected.

Elphinstone Bridge Closure: Demolition Of Mumbai's Iconic 125-Yr-Old Structure In Prabhadevi Begins Amid Heavy Police Deployment | Video

Because of the increased distance about 0.2 km for ordinary buses and up to 0.9 km for return legs in premium routes, the fare structure under MSRTC’s slab system will see a slight increase.

Commuters have called the situation “maddening” and “chaotic,” especially given that many rely on the bridge’s connectivity for work or essential services. Healthcare centers, schools, offices around the impacted zone are reporting disruptions.

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