After a hiatus of seven years, the refurbished Gopal Krishna Gokhale bridge in Mumbai’s Andheri area was opened for traffic on May 11th.

The bridge had been closed in 2018 when a portion of it collapsed, leading to two fatalities. The opening of the flyover will facilitate and improve the east-west link in the western suburbs.

The bridge, which crosses railway tracks, was closed to the public in 2018, and a major safety review of all Mumbai’s railway bridges was conducted.

The tragic accident five years ago, which also led to fatalities, resulted in the closure of the Gokhale Bridge in Mumbai’s Andheri, and the public had to endure years of inconvenience.

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With the monsoons just around the corner, the reopening of the bridge will be a big relief to commuters who had to endure daily traffic snarls caused by limited road options and heavy traffic.

The reopening of the bridge was marked by a ceremony attended by Minister Ashish Shelar, local MLA Ameet Satam, MP Ravindra Waikar, and Andheri East MLA Murji Patel. The local MLA Ameet Satam was instrumental in pushing the project forward.

The bridge saw a partial opening in 2019, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, traffic was less. However, after the end of the pandemic and the situation normalizing, the bridge was again closed from November 2022 to February 2024.

After the bridge closed, local commuters had to face innumerable difficulties. The only option was the Andheri subway, which often got flooded during the monsoon and made it almost impossible to commute. With the bridge now open for traffic, it will be a big relief for commuters with enhanced connectivity between East and West Andheri.

Residents had mixed opinions about the reopening of the bridge. Karan Jotwani from the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA) stated that the reopening will ease the load on the Andheri subway, while another resident stated that it would have been better to partially open the bridge to traffic instead of closing it completely.

A senior civic official stated,

“Though delayed, we set a firm target to open the bridge before the monsoon to avoid further inconvenience. The contractor followed a tight schedule to complete the remaining work, and the bridge will be opened for traffic from Sunday.”

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Also Read: Thane Gets Its First Metro; Trial Runs Begin on Mumbai Metro Red Line 9 to Mira Road

At long last, Thane district and its residents are set to experience their first Metro service, as trial runs for the Mumbai Metro Red Line 9 to Mira Road are now underway.

The overhead electric lines were energised on Saturday, marking a major milestone in the project, and the line is now ready for test operations.

Reports suggest that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will officially inaugurate the trial runs.

For those unfamiliar, the Mumbai Metro Red Line 9 is an extension of the existing Red Line 7, which currently operates between Andheri and Dahisar.

This new extension will connect Andheri (Western Express Highway) to Mira-Bhayandar.

In its first phase, the Metro will operate up to Kashimira, offering a seamless transit route from Andheri. Eventually, the second phase will push the line further to Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium in Bhayandar (West).

The Metro Line 9 is 13.5 kilometres long, and of this, 11.3 kilometres are on elevated tracks. The remaining 2.19 kilometres is underground. Metro Line 9 will open with four stations –

Dahisar

Pandurang Wadi

Miragaon

Kashigaon

When completed, the section will have 10 stations, and the other six stations are Subhash Chandra Bose Stadium, Sai Baba Nagar, Shahid Bhagat Singh Garden, and Meditiya Nagar.

The overhead traction lines have been energised to the live 25,000 volts, and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has advised the public to stay clear of the 4.97-km section between Dahisar and Kashigaon, where the trial runs of the trains will take place.

The trials will evaluate all critical components such as train movement, signalling, communication, and safety systems, before it is ready for eventual commissioning for public use.

In the news, Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis, in company with Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, inaugurated Phase 2a of Mumbai Metro Line 3 on Friday.

The new route will run between Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Acharya Atre Chowk (Worli Naka).

Kashimira station is about one and a half kilometres from Mira Road’s Western Railway station and will serve as a vital intermodal intersection.

MMRDA Commissioner Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee stated that instead of waiting for the whole project to be completed before the section is made operational, it was better to open the completed portions.

Dr. Sanjay Mukherjee said,

“We’re prioritizing opening ready sections. This allows us to deliver safe, modern, and sustainable transport quickly,”

“Metro Line 9 reflects our vision of ‘Mumbai in Minutes’—fast, seamless, and reliable connectivity for all.”

he added.

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Devotees visiting the famous Siddhivinayak temple were in for a surprise when they learned that the temple authorities had enforced a ban on offerings of coconut, garlands, and Prasad. The move was taken due to increased security threats, considering the volatile situation at the borders with Pakistan.

The Siddhivinayak Temple is located in the Prabhadevi area of Mumbai and is visited by thousands of devotees. The temple authorities have enforced a total ban on offering coconuts, garlands, and Prasad at the temple.

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: On safety precautions at Shree Siddhivinayak temple, Mandir Trust President Sada Sarvankar says, "… The security at the temple is efficient. Mumbai Police and the trust security are deployed… Extra security steps have been taken considering… pic.twitter.com/LzzgGNFOSN

— ANI (@ANI) May 11, 2025

The main aim of this initiative is to enhance security at the temple. The action has been taken given the tense conditions prevailing on the international boundary with Pakistan. The temple authorities have stated that the decision was made to ensure the safety of the devotees.

The temple authorities have implemented a slew of measures to ensure better security, including increasing the number of security personnel. The number of CCTV cameras has also been increased for better surveillance.

The move has been welcomed by devotees who felt that more than offering a coconut or garlands, a pure mind and true devotion are required to see God. The move has also not diminished the number of devotees to the temple, and they continue to throng for a darshan of Ganapati Bappa.

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