112-Year-Old Sion Rail Overbridge Reconstruction Will Reshape 22 Bus Routes: The dismantling and repair of the 112-year-old historic Sion Rail Overbridge (ROB) will reconfigure Bombay Electric Supply and Transport’s 22 bus routes. The Railways’ transformative project, which aims to accommodate the 5th and 6th railway lines, is expected to last three years.
The project’s impact on commuters
It has a significant impact on passengers, with three bus lines expected to end at Dharavi bus depot and two at Sion bus depot. Additionally, 15 other lines are scheduled for diversion, rerouting thousands of daily passengers via the Chunabhatti BKC link and Pila Bungalow.
On Monday, senior Bombay Electric Supply and Transport officials, Railway authorities, and Traffic Police Department officials met to discuss the important elements of the imminent repair. However, the start date for the disassembly remains unknown. While the Railways recommend beginning on January 10, the Traffic Police Department, taking into account Prime Ministerial commitments on January 12, suggests beginning on January 13.
22 routes will be affected
According to a senior official at Bombay Electric Supply and Transport, “Total 22 routes are going to be affected, and these routes will be operated via diverted paths until the reconstruction of the ROB is completed.”
The entire procedure, including dismantling and reconstruction, is expected to last three years. The Railways’ ambitious plan intends to complete the dismantling within three months, followed by a 24-month restoration phase.
To alleviate the impact, Bombay Electric Supply and Transport has offered an alternative: buses will cross the 90-foot Dharavi road to Pila Bungalow, potentially cutting travel time. However, a decision on this project is pending with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which has expressed concerns about existing traffic congestion on the 90-foot lane.
The following routes are likely to be diverted:
Routes expected to be redirected via the Chunabhatti BKC link include 375, 376, 355, 356, and C 505. Those likely to be redirected via Dharavi Depot-Pila Bungalow-Dharavi-Mahim Phatak-Sion Hospital-Ambedkar Road include 7, 11, 255, 312, 22, 341, 25, 181, 348, and 411.
Routes A 72, 176, and 463 are expected to conclude at Dharavi Depot, while routes 352 and 305 are likely to end at Sion Depot.
Bus routes likely to be diverted via Chunabhatti BKC connector
A 375 -Shivaji Nagar to Bandra (W)
A 376 -Shivaji Nagar to Mahim
355-Trombay to Santacruz
356-Vashi Naka to Santacruz
C 505-CBD Belapur to Bandra (W)
Bus routes likely to be diverted via Dharavi Depot – Pila Bungalow – Dharavi- Mahim Phatak – Sion hospital – Ambedkar Road
7-Vikhroli to Bhendi Bazar
11-Navy Nagar Colaba to Bandra (W)
255- Pratiksha Nagar to JVPD
312- Pratiksha Nagar to SEEPZ
22-Marol to Bhendi Bazar
341 -Goregaon to Antop Hill
25 -Backbay Depot to Kurla Depot
181-Antop Hill to Seepz Village
348- Pratiksha Nagar to Dindoshi
411- Chandivali to Wadala
Bus routes likely to be end at Dharavi Depot
A 72-Sion Depot to Bhayandar
176-Ring route from Sion Depot via Dharavi
463- Sion Depot to Veer Kotwal Udyan Dadar
Routes likely to be end at Sion Depot
352 -Dharavi Depot to Trombay
305- Back Bay Depot to Dharavi
