Gokhale bridge set to reopen on May 11, bringing major relief to western suburb commuters
Mumbai's Gokhale bridge reopens Sunday, easing commuter woes after closure caused major detours and traffic jams. Inauguration at 5pm.
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will reopen the much-awaited Gokhale bridge on Sunday.
The ceremony will be led by cabinet minister and MLA Ashish Shelar. The reopening of the bridge marks a significant development for thousands of daily commuters in Mumbai’s western suburbs, who have faced major inconveniences since the bridge’s closure. The shutdown resulted in long detours, severe traffic congestion, and the suspension of several BEST bus services.
With the bridge back in service on Sunday, travel durations are expected to drop sharply, easing pressure on parallel routes such as the Milan and Andheri subways. This will improve overall traffic movement in both Andheri East and West.
The inauguration that has been rescheduled to Sunday at 5pm was initially planned to take place on May 9, birth anniversary of the renowned social reformer Gopal Krishna Gokhale, after whom the bridge is named.
A portion of the bridge was initially opened on February 26, 2024. However, due to a six-foot gap between the new segment and the existing C D Barfiwala flyover, the bridge remained partially functional. This misalignment continued to hamper traffic flow in the area.
To address the issue, the BMC bridges department commenced realignment work on April 14, 2024, with assistance of experts from IIT-Bombay and Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI). The efforts have successfully aligned the second phase of the bridge with the flyover, paving the way for its full reopening.
