Commuters were left confused on Friday morning when the Bhide Bridge near Deccan Gymkhana an important link to the city’s peth areas was unexpectedly closed for Metro construction work. The closure forced vehicles to take alternative routes like Lakdi Bridge and Z-Bridge, leading to traffic diversions. However, due to the lack of prior public notice and the potential for chaos during the evening rush hour, the bridge was reopened by the afternoon. Maha Metro officials later announced that the bridge closure has been rescheduled to begin on Sunday night and will continue until June 6 to facilitate the construction of a foot-over bridge (FOB) connecting the peth areas to the Deccan Gymkhana metro station.
During the closure, while traffic on the riverside road will remain unaffected, commuters will have to rely on nearby bridges to cross the river. Frequent users of the Bhide Bridge have raised concerns about increased traffic congestion on JM Road and other parallel routes during this period. Many are urging authorities to deploy additional traffic wardens at key junctions to manage the situation efficiently. Metro officials said they aim to complete the bulk of the construction work before the onset of monsoon.