Changing City: Madh Island-Versova bridge to cut Mumbai commute to 10 minutes

The travel time between Mumbai's Madh Island and Versova is set to be significantly reduced to just 10 minutes with the construction of a Rs 2,395-crore cable-stayed flyover. The city's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to commence construction by the end of the monsoon and complete the bridge by 2029. Currently, Madh Island and Versova, located in Mumbai's western suburbs, lack direct road connectivity and are separated by Malad Creek.

Commuters currently face an 18-20 km journey taking 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic, with limited services such as a jetty that operates only eight months of the year and suspends during monsoons.

The flyover will pass above Malad Creek, providing easy access to essential facilities like hospitals and schools for residents living in the islands. This project was initially conceptualized in the BMC's development plan in 1967, formalized in 2015, and finalized in 2020. Work orders were issued in 2024. The bridge will consist of four vehicular lanes and have a wider carriageway to accommodate increasing traffic.

It will be 2.06 km long and 600 meters wide. Currently, the BMC has initiated basic work, including soil testing and station surveys, with civil works set to begin after the Bombay High Court's clearance. The final hearing is expected by September. According to the BMC, this new bridge will dramatically transform the commute landscape for Mumbai's western suburbs, ensuring minimal environmental damage and employing limited piling work.