Mumbai News: BMC's Vidyavihar East-West Connector Delayed Till March 2026; Cost Escalates From ₹99 Crore To ₹178.93 Crore

Mumbai: The Vidyavihar East-West connector project has faced additional delays, with the completion deadline now pushed to March 2026, a year later than initially planned. This setback follows the identification of 60 structures along the proposed route. Moreover, changes in design and other delays have led to a significant increase in costs, rising from Rs. 99 crores to Rs. 178.93 crores.

The bridge, which has been a long-awaited infrastructure project, was first planned in 1991. However, the BMC only moved forward with it in 2016, and actual construction began in 2018. A key feature of the bridge is the 120-meter girder over the railway tracks, which is the longest of its kind, with no supporting pillars on the track. The original completion deadline was set for mid-2022, but delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic and design modifications have postponed this.

The bridge will feature two lanes in each direction and a footpath stretching from RN Gandhi School on the east side to Ramdev Peer Marg on the west side. In the first phase of the project, BMC completed the launch of two open-web girders over the railway tracks, each weighing 1,100 tonnes and measuring 99.34 meters long and 9.50 meters wide. These girders are the longest ever laid over railway tracks in India.

The revised completion date is mid-2025, but the removal of 60 structures on the western side could delay it until March 2026. These structures include residential, religious, and commercial buildings, along with a civic toilet block.

Additionally, 27 structures are on the eastern side along the railway tracks, and 180 trees are in the path of the approach roads. Last week, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar, along with bridge department officials, reviewed the project. He instructed the S ward and bridge department to resolve the rehabilitation of affected structures promptly to avoid further delays in the project’s completion.

Originally estimated to cost Rs 99.98 crore, the cost has increased following design changes. The extension of the bridge to 613 meters and the longer 120-meter girder raised the total cost to Rs 178.93 crore over the past seven years.

Once completed, the bridge will reduce travel time between Vidyavihar East and West to just 10–15 minutes, a substantial improvement from the current journey time of over 30 minutes.