Mumbai Traffic Jam Alert: Expect Congestion In Dadar From April 15—Here’s Why

Traffic in Dadar West is likely to worsen after the closure of the Prabhadevi railway bridge, which connects Sion and Matunga to Worli, Lower Parel, and Mahalaxmi. Vehicles will now be diverted through Tilak Bridge in Dadar, leading to long traffic jams in the area.

As per a Lokmat report, the bridge will be demolished to make way for the Worli-Shivdi elevated road, an important link that will directly connect the Atal Setu to the Bandra-Worli Sea-Link. The traffic police are expected to approve the bridge closure after April 15 so that demolition work can begin.

Photo Credit: PTI

Police And Municipality Must Act Quickly

According to the same report, Sunil Shah, a member of the Dadar Traders' Association, has urged the traffic police, municipal staff, and local police to be present at all major junctions for the next 18 months to manage traffic. He stressed that hawkers and street vendors in Dadar must be relocated so pedestrians can use the footpaths freely, allowing vehicles to move more smoothly on the roads.

Expert Advice Before Closing the Bridge

Traffic expert A. V. Shenoy has advised the authorities to first study the impact of closing the bridge. He suggests forming a local committee to assess the situation and recommend measures. Only after this process should the bridge be officially closed, he says.

Longer Travel Times for Commuters

Residents are already warning of delays. N. M. Joshi, who lives in Lower Parel, said that vehicles will now be forced to use either the Tilak Bridge or the Curry Road Bridge, both of which will become more crowded. "It will add at least 30 minutes to every journey," he said.

Buses from the Lower Parel ST depot that normally travel via the Elphinstone Bridge will also have to take longer routes to reach Dadar, adding to the traffic pressure.

New Traffic Routes Announced

Westbound Traffic: Vehicles travelling from Madke Buwa Chowk will go to Khodadad Circle (Dadar TT) via Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road, then turn left to use Tilak Bridge.

Vehicles from Sion and Matunga heading towards Worli and Prabhadevi will also be diverted to Tilak Bridge via Dadar TT Circle.

Eastbound Traffic: Vehicles coming from Prabhadevi via Senapati Bapat Road towards Sion or Matunga will be diverted to V. S. Matkar Marg and Baburao Parulekar Marg, then turn right at Bhavani Shankar Road and proceed to Kabutarkhana and Hanuman Mandir Circle. From there, traffic will continue to Kotwal Garden, and finally reach Khodadad Circle via Tilak Bridge.

MP Demands Construction of New Bridge First

Uddhav Sena MP Arvind Sawant has urged BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani to delay demolition until a new footbridge is built at Prabhadevi station. He stated that once the bridge is closed, people-including hospital patients visiting KEM, Wadia, and Tata hospitals-will face major difficulties.

He also pointed out that students and office workers will struggle to reach their destinations without a proper pedestrian route.