Parel TT bridge revamp begins, traffic curbs trigger congestion

While the project may lead to traffic snarls, it is expected to be over before the monsoon by the end of May

Mumbai: The long-pending revamp and concretisation of the Sant Namdev Maharaj Flyover, popularly known as the Parel TT Bridge, began on Tuesday evening marking the start of a major upgrade on one of central Mumbai’s busiest connectors. While the project may lead to traffic snarls, it is expected to be over before the monsoon by the end of May.

Parel TT bridge revamp begins, traffic curbs trigger congestion

The flyover is a key connector in central Mumbai and plays a vital role in dispersing traffic between Parel, Dadar and nearby areas. As the concretisation work started, barricading began at 5 pm, with traffic restrictions being implemented in phases. Northbound vehicular movement was halted on Tuesday evening, while southbound traffic will be restricted between 10 pm and 4 pm.

When HT visited the site on the first day of the revamp work, traffic movement had slowed considerably. A traffic police official managing the southbound stretch said vehicular load had increased sharply. “There is an increase of around 40% in vehicles. Being the first day, it is exhausting. The roads here are narrow, so congestion is inevitable,” the official said, adding that only one side of the carriageway was operational.

However, civic officials highlighted that since only one side of the bridge had been shut off traffic could still be managed. Had the entire bridge been shut down, it may have led to far worse traffic snarls in the area. “When traffic NOC (No Objection Certificate) is given in this manner, it allows us to regulate movement to the best possible extent,” a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said.

Built around 1980 along Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, the flyover has long been flagged for structural fatigue and poor conditions. The revamp project focuses on strengthening the ageing flyover through structural repairs and concretisation rather than demolishing and rebuilding it. Officials said the number of expansion joints will be reduced from 22, each around 10 metres long, to nine joints of about 20 metres each, to improve load distribution and strengthen the bridge.

The entire bridge will be concretised to replace the existing asphalt surface, which has been prone to wear and potholes. More than 240 bridge bearings have already been installed, and 12 more are set to be installed after concretising. The entire 350-metre stretch is scheduled for completion by May 31, 2026, ahead of the monsoon.

However, the first day of restrictions caused visible inconvenience for locals. Aruna Nagpure, 66, a street vendor who has been selling clothes along Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road for over four decades, said the disruption was immediate. “We were told the bridge would be closed, but the rush since 4 pm has been difficult,” she said. “At around 6 pm, when I went to pick up my granddaughter from tuition, I had to wait nearly 10 minutes before the traffic stopped enough for me to cross the road.”