{
  "id": 16407522,
  "title": "Mumbai’s first bridge to Navi Mumbai is rusting, and nobody wants to own it",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/mumbais-first-bridge-to-navi-mumbai-is-rusting-and-nobody-wants-to",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-25T01:30:41.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbais-first-bridge-to-navi-mumbai-is-rusting-and-nobody-wants-to-own-it-10935513/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai's Thane Creek Bridge-1, the city's first bridge connecting to Navi Mumbai, is deteriorating and no one seems interested in taking ownership of it. Situated on the Thane Creek, the bridge was constructed in 1973, serving as the sole road link between Mankhurd in Mumbai and Vashi in Navi Mumbai. However, it has been overshadowed by newer bridges built alongside, leading to a custody battle among three agencies, none of which wish to assume responsibility for it. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which built the newer bridge, wants to hand over the old bridge, while the Public Works Department (PWD), its original owner, no longer handles the Thane Creek bridges. A government order from November 2025 directs the bridge to be transferred to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), but there has been no progress on the handover for over a year. The bridge, now referred to as the \"bridge to nowhere,\" was initially proposed in 1959 with the aim of opening up land for a new township and industry, but faced delays due to land procurement issues. In 1973, the bridge opened successfully, but soon required major repairs due to the corrosive marine environment. With the construction of newer bridges, the old bridge was maintained as a backup for light vehicles and two-wheelers, until the 2010s when it was abandoned. In 2020, the bridge found a new purpose when it became a platform for constructing the third bridge, TCB-3. However, its structural defects were discovered, and it was deemed unsafe for use, requiring reinforcement before it could be used for the construction of TCB-3. Despite attempts to transfer the ownership of the two older bridges to the PWD for maintenance, the transfer has not yet occurred.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Mumbai's Thane Creek Bridge-1, first link to Navi Mumbai, is rusting.",
    "No agency willing to own the deteriorating bridge, leading to custody battle.",
    "Government order from Nov 2025 directs transfer to NMMC, but no progress."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The jurisdictional deadlock between multiple agencies transforms a vital piece of infrastructure into a decaying liability that no government body is willing to maintain or officially claim.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}