Good News for Mumbai: Five New Bridges to Open This Year, Traffic Set to Get a Boost

Mumbai: Commuters eagerly awaiting the opening of the Sion bridge can look forward to relief in the coming months. Not only will the Sion bridge be ready, but four more bridges across Mumbai are also set to open this year. With these five new bridges operational, traffic flow in the city is expected to improve significantly. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set a deadline of 15 July 2026 to complete all works and open the bridges to traffic.

Sion Bridge to Open by Mid-July
The long-pending construction of the Sion East-West bridge will be completed by 15 July 2026, after which it will be opened for public use. Additional Commissioner of BMC, Abhijeet Bangar, inspected the bridge on Friday and confirmed that it will serve Mumbaikars from July onwards.

Five Major Bridge Projects This Year
Alongside the Sion bridge, a total of five major bridges and flyovers will be inaugurated in Mumbai this year. These include:

• Belasis Flyover
• Mahalaxmi Cable-Stayed Bridge
• Vidyavihar Bridge
• Sion Bridge
• Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) flyover

Belasis Flyover to Open in February
The Belasis Flyover construction has been completed 15 months and six days ahead of schedule. The 333-meter flyover comprises 138.39 meters in the eastbound lane, 157.39 meters in the westbound lane, and 36.90 meters across the railway zone. It is expected to open in the first week of February 2026.

Dindoshi-Film City Flyover to Open by May
Under the GMLR project, the flyover between Dindoshi Court and Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari (Film City) is 75% complete. Of the 31 piers planned, 30 have already been installed. BMC aims to open this flyover to traffic by 31 May 2026, reducing the travel time from Goregaon to Mulund from approximately 75 minutes to around 25 minutes.

Sion Bridge Underpasses Ready in 15 Days
The reconstruction of the Sion East-West bridge is progressing rapidly. While the railway zone portion is being handled by railway authorities, the approach roads and two underpasses are being constructed by the BMC. A pedestrian foot overbridge is already operational, and one underpass will open in the next 15 days. The western section will be completed in four phases by 31 May 2026, and the remaining eastern section will be finished within 30–45 days, allowing the bridge to open by 15 July 2026.

Vidyavihar Bridge to Open by June
The Vidyavihar bridge, connecting Ramchandra Chemburkar Marg in Ghatkopar East to LBS Marg in the West, has seen 80% of construction work completed. Once finished by May, it will improve east-west suburban connectivity and provide easier access to the airport. The bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in June 2026.

Mahalaxmi Cable-Stayed Bridge by October
Mumbai’s first cable-stayed bridge is under construction near Mahalaxmi Railway Station on Keshavrao Khadye Marg. Stretching 803 meters long and 17.2 meters wide, it will connect the Saat Rasta area with Mahalaxmi Maidan. With around 55% of work completed and an estimated cost of ₹400 crore, the bridge is expected to be ready by 31 October 2026 and will open to traffic in the first week of November.

Impact on Mumbai Traffic
According to BMC Additional Commissioner Abhijeet Bangar, “We are working on multiple projects, including underground tunnels and several flyovers, to reduce road congestion. The opening of these five flyovers this year will significantly ease traffic across the city.”