India, March 13 -- What should have been a quick trip from east to west has taken over six years, and counting. The Vikhroli road-over-bridge (ROB) is one among many bridges in Mumbai that are being constructed or rebuilt, its deadline for completion being just before the monsoon. The journey of this bridge, however, is one of many delays.

On the drawing board, the genesis of the Vikhroli bridge dates back to 1997. That is when, according to the Central Railway, the proposal to build a new bridge had been sanctioned. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) was scouting for a consultant for the project, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had been asked to deposit a certain sum for the preparation of the ...