“After the bridge was closed, the area would get so crowded and noisy that even pedestrians could not walk freely, especially between the peak hours of 6 - 8 pm. With the bridge opened now, I can already see the difference.”For commuters in Mumbai, the reopening of the Carnac Bridge, which has been renamed as Sindoor Bridge, on Thursday has brought a relief from traffic woes they had been facing for three years.A key east-west connector linking Masjid with P D Mello Road, the erstwhile Carnac Bridge was pulled down in 2022 after a structural audit deemed it unsafe for daily traffic.What followed was over two years of traffic chaos, as vehicles were forced to reroute through Yellow Gate or the already congested Crawford Market and Fort areas.As vehicles began plying through the connector once again on Thursday, restoring a crucial link between the city’s east and west, several commuters have pointed out that it cut down travel time by around half an hour.“Earlier, during the traffic congestion, we spent about 40 minutes to cross the stretch. With this bridge, now it barely takes 10 to 15 minutes to reach the other side.” said Mohammed Akbar Ansari, a taxi driver who operates in the area.Tripali Verma, a local shop owner, said the difference was almost immediate.“After the bridge was closed, the area would get so crowded and noisy that even pedestrians could not walk freely, especially between the peak hours of 6 – 8 pm. With the bridge opened now, I can already see the difference.”Story continues below this adRakesh Pujari, a restaurant manager in the area, added, “Since the bridge was shut, motorists had no option but to take a detour and pass through the already congested Crawford area or go via Yellow gate through the CSMT route. Even vehicles like ambulances and fire brigades would get stuck for a long time.”The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), along with the Central Railways, carried out the reconstruction of the bridge through the congested belt over the past one-and-a-half years with civil works completed in June.However, the opening was prolonged into July owing to the clearances from Central Railways as well as final ancillary works.While the old bridge catered to two-lane traffic, the Sindoor bridge will consist of four vehicular lanes, facilitating twice the vehicular flow and smoother movement.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Mumbai