Mumbai’s 154-Year-Old Carnac Bridge Nears Completion: BMC Promises Opening By This Date

The 154-year-old Carnac Bridge, located near Masjid Bunder Railway Station in Mumbai, is undergoing a major reconstruction to improve safety and traffic flow in the area, as per the Hindustan Times (HT) report. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has recently achieved significant progress by installing a 516-metric-ton iron girder on the south side of the railway section.

Originally built in 1867, the bridge connects P D'Mello Road and serves as a crucial link for easing traffic congestion in Masjid Bunder, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and Mohammad Ali Marg. In 2018, experts from IIT Bombay declared the structure unsafe, prompting the BMC to initiate its reconstruction.

On Thursday, Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijit Bangar visited the site to review progress and issued instructions to the engineering team. He stated that 83 per cent of the required materials for the iron girder on the north side have been delivered, with the remaining components expected by December 20. The assembly of these parts is scheduled for completion by January 13, followed by a trial run on January 14.

The BMC has requested a railway block from Central Railway on January 18 and 19 to install the girder. According to Bangar, the bridge is expected to open to traffic by June 5, provided all activities proceed as planned.

The reconstruction will take place in several stages after the railway girder installation. By March 15, the pile foundation for approach roads will be completed. Pile erection will follow by April 17, with concreting of the approach roads finished by May 3. A load test is scheduled for June 1, ensuring the bridge meets safety standards before reopening.

Parallel activities, such as installing anti-crash barriers and electricity poles, will be conducted to streamline the timeline. The BMC emphasised that timely cooperation from Central Railway is critical to meeting the June deadline.

The new Carnac Bridge promises to enhance connectivity and safety, marking an important infrastructure upgrade for south Mumbai.