Local residents in Mumbai`s Parel began to gather to protest on Wednesday night against the closure of the Elphinstone bridge, saying they won’t move or allow it to shut until they get clarity on their relocation.
Earlier, the top officials from the Mumbai traffic department had stated that the Elphinstone bridge will be shut for traffic from Wednesday, September 10.
On Wednesday, civic officials arrived to install a board announcing the closure of the bridge, but were met with strong opposition from people living nearby.
Akshay Sutar, a local resident from Lakshmi Nivas building in Parel told mid-day, “That the officials have not given the residents clarity on their relocation. He said that the residents would protest and will not allow the bridge to close.
Several local residents were seen marching towards the end of the Elphinstone bridge to protest against the decision to closure of the route. The locals were also seen removing the bridge closure board installed by the authorities.
As tensions rose, Mumbai Police officials rushed to the spot to control the situation.
Senior Police Inspector Dattaram Thakur was seen trying to calm the situation. He urged the protesters not to take the law into their own hands. He also appealed for cooperation and peaceful dialogue as authorities tried to implement the bridge closure.
The protest is part of ongoing resistance by local residents demanding clarity on the closure of the bridge, which they say will cause major inconvenience.
The Elphinstone bridge, a crucial arterial link connecting Parel and Elphinstone Road, has been marked for redevelopment due to its deteriorating structural condition. The plan to demolish the existing structure and replace it with a new, modern two-layered bridge was set in motion with a formal notification for closure issued in April. Months later, authorities have yet to initiate on-ground work due to pending rehabilitation arrangements for to-be-affected residents of Lakshmi Niwas and Haaji Noorani, two of the 19 buildings expected to be affected.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has planned to redevelopment of Elphinstone bridge.
