‘Sindoor Bridge’ inaugurated in Mumbai; Fadnavis says its name a tribute to armed forces

Mumbai, Jul 10: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday inaugurated the reconstructed Carnac Road Over Bridge (ROB) in south Mumbai, which has been rechristened as “Sindoor Bridge” as a tribute to Indian military’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The Indian Army has showcased exceptional courage and strategic precision during ‘Operation Sindoor’ by striking deep into terrorist bases in Pakistan’s hinterland, Fadnavis told reporters.
“This renaming is a tribute to our armed forces and India’s defense capabilities,” he said on the occasion.
Fadnavis said the bridge will be opened for vehicular traffic later in the day at 3 pm.
The British-era bridge, an east-west connector, was earlier known as the Carnac Bridge after former Bombay Province governor James Rivett Carnac, who held the office from 1839 to 1841.
It has been renamed as ‘Sindoor Bridge’, a nomenclature inspired by India’s military action in May against Pakistan to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.
The bridge, which connects eastern and western parts of the Central Railway’s train tracks (between Mumbai CSMT and Masjid stations) and links to P D’Mello Road, will help ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity in south Mumbai.
The ‘Sindoor Bridge’ was rebuilt by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) after the original 150-year-old structure was declared unsafe by the Central Railway (CR) and dismantled in August 2022.
According to the BMC, the new structure, constructed as per a design approved by CR, spans a length of 328 metres, including a 70-metre stretch within railway limits, and 230 metres of approach roads on either side.
It features two steel girders, each 70 metres long, 26.5 metres wide, and 10.8 metres high, weighing 550 metric tonnes, mounted on reinforced concrete piers.
Work on the eastern approach, including piling, civil works, and asphalting, was completed in just four months, as per the civic body.
The installation of massive girders above the railway tracks, considered a complex civil and structural engineering feat, was carried out in October 2024 and January 2025, a civic release earlier said.
The reconstructed bridge has successfully undergone load testing, and the BMC has secured all necessary clearances, including structural stability certification, safety clearance, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Railway authorities, it said.
The civic body said the bridge is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion at key intersections such as Walchand Hirachand Marg and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Road, and improve east-west traffic flow across important routes, including Yusuf Meherally Road, Mohammad Ali Road, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road. (PTI)