Travel time between Mumbai’s Madh Island and Versova is set to be drastically reduced to just 10 minutes, with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) planning a Rs 2,395-crore cable-stayed flyover connecting the two areas. If everything goes as per plans, the civic body aims to start the construction by the end of monsoon and open the bridge by 2029.

Currently, Madh Island and Versova, located in Mumbai’s western suburbs, have no direct road connectivity and are separated by Malad Creek. Despite being important residential and commercial areas, commuters travelling between them must take a circuitous 18-20 km route, consuming 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic.

A jetty service also connects the two areas, but it operates for only around eight months of the year and remains suspended during the monsoon. With services limited and not always frequent, many commuters continue to rely on the longer road journey.

Why is the flyover important?

The flyover will pass above the Malad Creek and will provide easy access to basic facilities such as hospitals and schools to people living in the islands. The flyover was conceived in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) development plan (DP) model in 1967. However, the project was formalised on paper only in 2015. The final blueprint for the project was finalised in 2020, and the work orders were issued in 2024.

Features of the bridge

The bridge will be cable-stayed and will comprise four vehicular lanes providing smooth flow of vehicles. In addition, the bridge will also have a wider carriageway to cater to the growing traffic density. The length of the bridge will be 2.06 km and will be 600 metres wide.

Current status

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has started the basic work for this bridge, including soil testing and station survey. The civic body will initiate the civil works after the Bombay High Court (HC) issues its clearance. The last hearing was held in July, and the final hearing could be held by September.

Administration speaks

According to BMC, the bridge will entirely change the commute landscape of Mumbai’s western suburbs. “The alignment of the bridge ensures minimum damage to the environment and the bridge will be entirely cable-stayed, which means that we will carry out piling work at a limited capacity,” Abhijit Bangar, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects), told .