BMC Demolishes 42 Illegal Slum Structures at SVP Nagar to Clear Path for Yari Road–Lokhandwala Bridge Project
The BMC demolished 42 unauthorized slum structures at SVP Nagar, Andheri (West) to clear the path for the upcoming Yari Road–Lokhandwala Bridge project
The BMC’s K West ward team, in coordination with the Mumbai Suburban Collector’s office, carried out a major demolition drive on Thursday, removing 42 unauthorised slum structures at SVP Nagar near Lokhandwala.
The clearance is part of preparations for a new vehicular bridge connecting SVP Nagar to Yari Road in Andheri. Once completed, the bridge is expected to reduce travel time between the two areas from around 35 minutes to just 5 minutes, improving connectivity and easing traffic congestion.
After two decades of discussion, the BMC issued a Rs 42-crore tender in November 2023 for the construction of the bridge connecting Lokhandwala to Yari Road.
The project, however, has faced environmental concerns due to its planned route through a mangrove forest and creek, which will require the removal of 48 mangrove trees along the alignment. In addition, a large number of encroachments on the Lokhandwala side posed further hurdles to the bridge’s construction.
Chakrapani Alle, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of K West, said, “The land encroached by unauthorised slums was collector land. The joint action was carried out with the BMC providing manpower and machinery to demolish 41 residential structures and one religious structure, all under police protection. The area has now been barricaded by the BMC’s bridge department, which will immediately begin work on the construction of the bridge.”
Dhaval Shah, founder of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association (LOCA), said, “The Yari Road bridge has been in the making for decades, with several tenders floated over the years. Now, with the slums being cleared, the project will finally get the push it desperately needed. Once completed, it will cut travel time for residents of Versova, Yari Road, and Koli Village by over half an hour, while also providing an important access point to the Versova–Bandra Sea Link (VBSL) once it becomes operational.”
The proposed bridge, spanning 393.2 meters, will cross Kavathe Creek and feature a 110-meter single-span steel arch over the waterbody. The project also includes approach roads measuring 166 meters on the Yari Road side and 117 meters on the Lokhandwala side.
Initially proposed in 2002, the bridge gained traction in 2014 when a tender was floated at an estimated cost of Rs. 17 crore and a contractor was appointed.
However, the project faced delays following a legal dispute, as several local groups approached the court claiming the bridge would damage the surrounding mangrove forest. In 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition, paving the way for the long-awaited project to proceed.
In a major step ahead for connectivity in Mumbai’s western suburbs, the BMC recently demolished 42 unauthorised slum structures at SVP Nagar near Lokhandwala to clear the way for the long-pending Yari Road–Lokhandwala Bridge project. This demolition marks a pivotal moment in finally unlocking an infrastructure initiative that has been delayed for decades.
The bridge connecting Yari Road and Lokhandwala was first conceptualised in 2002 but stalled repeatedly due to encroachments, environmental permissions and land-clearance issues. In November 2023 the BMC floated a tender of ₹42 crore for the project. The proposed design features a 393.2 metre span across Kavathe Creek, with a 110-metre single-span steel arch and approach roads of 166 metres (Yari side) and 117 metres (Lokhandwala side). Once completed, the bridge is expected to cut travel time between the two areas from around 35 minutes to about 5 minutes.
On Thursday, under the coordination of the BMC’s K-West Ward and the Mumbai Suburban Collector’s Office, the demolition team removed 42 unauthorised slum structures located in SVP Nagar, at the final approach of the bridge alignment. Officials clarified that the structures lacked proper documentation and encroached on collector-land and CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) territory. Of these, 41 were residential units and one was a religious structure. The site has now been barricaded and handed over to the BMC Bridges Department, which will begin piling and foundation work imminently.
The clearance of encroachments is critical for the bridge to move ahead. Without this land & structure removal, piling and girder ordering could not proceed. For residents of Lokhandwala, Yari Road, Versova and adjacent localities the bridge promises substantial relief from traffic congestion, longer detours and bottlenecks via Four & Seven Bungalows. Meanwhile, the project also aligns with efforts to reduce pressure on peripheral roads and improve connectivity to upcoming infrastructure like the Versova–Bandra Sea Link.
Despite the benefits, the drive has generated controversy. Some of the residents whose structures were demolished say they were not given sufficient notice or opportunity under the Slum Areas (Improvement & Clearance) Act, 1971 to claim rehabilitation. Citizen-groups and social activists have raised concerns about due process, especially given the location overlapping CRZ and mangrove zones. On the environmental front, the bridge alignment crosses sensitive mangroves, and 48 trees had to be cleared and replaced in the last phase.
With the site now cleared and handed over, the BMC’s Bridges Department is expected to begin foundation work and erection of the steel-arch span soon. Residents are hopeful that with encroachments removed and approvals in hand, construction may accelerate and aim for completion within 18 months as projected. However, the timelines will depend on weather conditions, material ordering and regulatory compliance given the environmentally sensitive zone.
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