Between Bhayandar and Naigaon, every train has to pass over a wide body of water, the Vasai Creek. While crossing the creek, two rail bridges, serve as the transition between the mainland and the city; all the trains, outstation or local, pass over these bridges in order to enter or exit from this side of the island. For a fellow passenger, this offers a welcome change. As the train crosses, one is greeted by the vast sea, spread until far on one side, and curving away along the island's edges on the other. Soon after entering, you spot little islands laden with mangroves, scattered higher and thither, and a while later the intervening Panju island fools you into thinking: "the sea has been crossed". The train passes over, surrounded by vegetation on either side, on this island shaped rather curiously like a teardrop. After this crossing, the train passes over the sea again, this time for a shorter duration, before finally entering the mainland.
If you catch a Vasai Local, the train usually passes over the west side bridge, and you get a better view of the west. You wouldn't see any mangrove islands, but instead see a small bridge, standing alone with nothing in the background but the sea and the sky. This bridge wasn't used, except perhaps by some inhabitants of Panju, who would cross it to reach the mainland, or the city. But in its days of glory, it was the only rail access to Mumbai from the western side, and it maintained that honour for 6 decades.
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| The South Bassein Bridge |
These were the Bassein Bridges, built by the erstwhile Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway (which later became the WR) in the 1920s. This was then the longest overall bridge system on the entire BB&CI network. After Independence, they became the bridges of the WR, who operated them for another 30 years. In order to better understand the significance, let's learn about their curious tale.
Back to the 1850s, when the line from Ahmedabad to Bombay was being planned. To the planners, the last major obstacle before entering the island was the Bassein (Vasai) Creek. This creek was a tidal one, whose highest and lowest tides differed by 15 ft. It would be a major undertaking to bridge the two shores. Fortunately, the creek was divided into two by the Panju island, and a bridge could therefore be constructed in two seperate portions, north and south of the island.
Construction probably began at the end of the 1850s, and these first bridges were opened to traffic in 1864, the same year Bombay-Ahmedabad railway services commenced from Grant Rd. It then stood among the longest sea bridges in India.
These bridges served well in those early years, enabling the conveyance of both passengers and goods (such as cotton) between Ahmedabad and the port city of Bombay. While local and outstation traffic steadily grew, the bridges stood as silent witnesses to the incoming developments. They stood as the backbone of the railway services from Bombay, to all of the Western India north of it.
As the years passed, the backbone weakened. The girders and the foundations were found to be too weak to bear the increasing loads of higher traffic, and between 1896 and 1902, it was felt necessary to strengthen the bridges. The Warren Girders were replaced by fish bellied plate ones, while the foundations themselves were strengthened by the addition of screw piles on the west and east. Besides, a continuous girder was installed over the five piles.
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| 15 Down passing over the Old South Bassein Bridge Due Credits: Western Railway |
This too could not prove sufficient. In fact, during the early proposals of railway electrification, when the Bombay Government appointed C.H. Merz (who was instrumental in the electrification of London Underground in the 1890s) as a consultant on the proposals, one of his only suggestions before his eventual resignation was the replacement of the Bassein Bridges.
While investigations began for the replacements, speed limits were imposed on local and outstation traffic: 15 mph for locals, 8 mph for the latter.
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| 15 Down crossing South Bassein bridge at 8 mph BB&CI Magazine, August 1923. Due Credits: Western Railway |
The new bridges were constructed 120 ft east of the old ones. While they were to have the same number and length of spans as the old bridges, they were built up to the BB&CI standard loading of 1916. The Panju Island once again proved itself, serving as a base of operations, where the main stacking yards, powerhouse, stores etc were situated. While preliminary works were commenced in 1920, preparatory work were not started until 1923. To add to it, non delivery of electrical and other plants further delayed the project, pushing the completion date upto 1927.
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| Pile Screwing Test on Panju Island of 11 September 1923 BB&CI Magazine Due Credits: Western Railway |
Well, years went on, and the bridges served their utility. The new bridges saw the transition from Steam to Electric in 1936, when the Borivali-Virar line was first electrified. Iconic images exist of equally iconic trains like the Bombay-Surat Flying Ranee, and the Bombay-Peshawar Frontier Mail, chugging along the bridge, pulled by large locomotives engraved with plaques of the service they served.
After Independence, in 1951, the BB&CIR and several other railways were merged to form the Western Railway. Newer suburban rakes now appeared, so did newer services. And the bridges quietly supported all that. However as the decades passed, it was time for a final replacement. Two new bridges were constructed east of the former bridge in 1983, each with two lines. These continue to serve even today.
The bridge was abandoned and left to rust. Villagers from Panju used it to make their crossings out of their home island. But it stood there, contemplating its history and now, its purpose.
Eventually the railways decided to scrap the bridges for iron. Work began on dismantling the northern bridge in November 2020. The South Bridge remained untouched until late 2025, when it too met that fate.
The ancient bridges were always a favourite spectacle of mine. During every crossing of the creek, regardless of how crowded the local turned out, I'd always try to find a gap to just have a gaze. I had the fortune of watching the bridge up close, while on a Vasai Local, while it was still there. Those memories are etched in my mind forever.
But now when I will pass the creeks, I won't see those iron spans shining in the afternoon sun, or forming a silhouette in the evening sun. For, only the pillars remain, which too would be claimed in the coming future.
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| The Silhouette |
The sacrifice won't be in vain though. Adjacent to the route of the old bridge, a new bridge is being constructed, as a part of line expansion efforts. These will increase the carrying capacity of the section, enabling more services, and more efficiency.
This turns out to be another case of the observation, 'past fades away for future'. Now there wouldn't be a lone bridge standing in the sea, to draw the attention of curious travellers, who might have wondered about its origins. The bridge now exists only as a mention in historic documents, news websites and blog posts, and in scrapyards and in preserved plaques. But more than anything, it remains and will remain, as a tale of new beginnings, a study of the ever dynamic nature of needs, and above all resilience to confront every situation.
It may not stay in its sea forever, but it will always stay in my heart as the Great Bassein Bridge.
Adieu!
Thanks for the scroll!
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