Demolition of Evershine Nagar bridge ramp irks Malvani residents

The approximately 12-feet-wide bridge meant for pedestrians had been used for over a decade by two-wheelers to get to Malvani, as the alternative Malad Marve road is perennially jammed

MUMBAI: The BMC’s demolition of a ramp to the Evershine Nagar bridge over the Marve creek has got thousands of bikers and pedestrians of Malvani—for whom the bridge was a shortcut—up in arms. The residents of Evershine Nagar had demanded that two-wheelers be stopped from using the pedestrian bridge; however, the BMC’s complying with their request has led to a counter-action from the other side, with a PIL in the Bombay high court and an indefinite hunger strike.

Mumbai, India. Feb 10, 2025: Evershine Nagar and Malvani connecting bridge closed for bikers by BMC.Mumbai, India. Feb 10, 2025. (Photo by Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

The BMC broke the ramp in the intervening night of January 31-February 1. The approximately 12-feet-wide bridge meant for pedestrians had been used for over a decade by two-wheelers to get to Malvani, as the alternative Malad Marve road is perennially jammed. But with the opening of the second arm of the Mith Chowky flyover on January 11, the Regional Transport Office, Goregaon, and residents at Evershine Nagar both wanted bike movement over the bridge to be blocked.

Malvani residents are now bearing the brunt of the action. “Two-wheelers have been using the bridge for 15 years,” said Jamil Merchant, a Malvani resident who filed the PIL on February 6. “Along with residents, 25,000 to 30,000 people use this bridge. The shortcut saved Malvani’s working-class population travel time, fuel and traffic, and offered a quick route for emergencies. Now those on two-wheelers have to go around, adding at least one km to the distance. The Mith Chowky flyover is only one-way towards Malad, so it is not sufficient.”

One fallout of barring two-wheelers on the bridge has also been felt by pedestrians, for whom the bridge is intended. As sunset falls, the one-km stretch between Evershine Nagar and Malvani, with dense mangroves on both sides, gets dark and deserted. This has raised safety concerns for the many women walking across, especially those working as domestic workers at Evershine Nagar.

“The bikes were a sense of reassurance for us, as they meant a steady flow of people and enough light to traverse this path,” said Rukshana Sheikh Mukhar. “We domestic workers are asking our employers to let us leave earlier, as it is dangerous to walk back home at night. The lights don’t always work, and the mangroves could have robbers, murderers or drug addicts hiding in them.”

Demanding that the ramp be rebuilt and bikes be allowed on it, a group of 10 people has been on an indefinite hunger strike. “The bridge has become a need,” said their leader, Rizwana Khan from the Indian Union Muslim League. “The BMC broke the ramp in the dead of the night without consulting us. It is causing a lot of inconvenience for vehicles and women walking to and from Malvani.”

On the flip side, residents of Evershine Nagar, a block of 325 buildings, who had written to the BMC for the ramp to be demolished, were pleased with the change.

“Things are much better for us,” said Tajinder Singh Tiwana, president of the Evershine Nagar Residents Welfare Association and BJP’s Yuva Morcha, adding that the ramp was constructed illegally. “Between 30,000 and 40,000 bikes would go through Evershine Nagar to use the ramp, causing a tremendous nuisance. There were many hit-and-run accidents. The bikers would often get into fights and disturb us residents.”

When asked if the ramp’s demolition had led to an increase in traffic on the surrounding roads, Tiwana answered in the negative.

This was echoed by Kundan Valvi, assistant commissioner of the P North ward. “The Evershine Nagar bridge is a foot-over-bridge meant only for pedestrians, so it has been returned to that purpose,” he said. “And now that there is an alternative Mith Chowky flyover not even five minutes away, using it should not be an issue for two-wheelers. As for the issue of lighting for pedestrians on the bridge, I will look into it.”