Officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and local residents will meet on April 28 to discuss the future of the historic Elphinstone Road Over Bridge, which is due to be dismantled for the construction of the Sewri-Worli link. Originally, the 125-year-old bridge was scheduled to close at midnight on Saturday in order to start the Worli-Sewri elevated road project's dismantling. However, following numerous complaints and protests by locals, particularly those from two adjoining buildings that would be demolished for the project, the closure was postponed. 19 buildings will be affected from this project and Laxmi Niwas and Haji Noorani buildings will impact the most.
On Friday evening, tensions increased as tenants of 19 buildings that were impacted gathered at around 9 PM to take down barricades that had been put up to stop traffic. Protesters charged that officials were opaque and had not provided a clear strategy for rehabilitation for individuals who would be displaced.
Ashish Shelar, the Mumbai suburban guardian minister, intervened to defuse the tension. He promised the locals who were protesting that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would hear their concerns. Additionally, Shelar admitted that two particular structures were at risk during the demolition process and pledged to find a workable solution. Residents expressed their concerns about the lack of planning and communication when they saw Shelar at his Bandra office on Saturday. Shelar informed them that in order to find a solution that takes into account the complaints of individuals impacted, he would talk about the matter with the Chief Minister and MMRDA authorities.
Kalidas Kolambkar, a local MLA, also stepped in and got the Chief Minister's Office to temporarily halt the bridge's closure. This delay will last until the meeting on April 28, when officials are supposed to present a strategy for the project's impacted individuals and work to address their concerns. The Sewri-Worli connecting project's next steps and the future of the Elphinstone Bridge, which has served as an essential link for the city for more than a century, will be greatly influenced by the conclusion of the meeting.