Sion bridge reopens, bringing relief to BEST bus commuters after months of detour

Mumbai: For thousands of daily commuters travelling through Sion, Friday marked the end of a long and often frustrating journey. With the reopening of the overbridge near Rani Laxmibai Chowk after more than a year of repair work, BEST buses have finally resumed their original routes, restoring a key transport link between Sion East and West.

Acting on directions from the traffic police, BEST announced that several bus services operating through the corridor have returned to their regular alignments. The move has been welcomed by commuters who endured lengthy diversions, traffic congestion and increased travel times since the bridge was shut for repairs on June 30, 2024.

The long-term closure forced major bus diversions through secondary corridors, significantly impacting daily travel times and creating major traffic bottlenecks across Dharavi, Kalanagar and LBS Marg,” said commuter Vijay Naidu. For many passengers, the diversions meant not only longer journeys but also multiple bus changes to reach destinations on the opposite side of Sion.

At bus stops near Rani Laxmibai Chowk, Everard Nagar and Tilak Hospital on Friday, commuters were seen boarding buses that had resumed normal operations. Among the routes restored to their original itineraries are A-7, 11 Ltd., A-22, 29 Ltd., 181, 255 Ltd., C-305, A-312, 341, 348 Ltd., A-357, A-376, 411 and C-505.