The Hindu Business Line : Govt to build 42 flyovers in Mumbai

MOTORISTS in Mumbai now have a reason to cheer. The State Government is planning to build 42 new flyovers over the next three years under the World Bank-funded Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will construct these flyovers at an aggregate cost of Rs 1,000 crore, Mr Anil Deshmukh, Minster for Public Works, said while addressing the media today in the Secretariat.

Mr Deshmukh said that tenders worth Rs 188.59 crore for seven flyovers have already been called for by the MSRDC. To improve connectivity, especially between the western and eastern suburbs, expansion of roads and the creation of new roads and flyovers are on the cards, he said.

The Santracruz-Chembur Link Road is a crucial link in this project, connecting Kurla with Santracruz. "A part of the Santracruz-Chembur Link Road will be a 2.2-km-long double-decker flyover. It will be the longest flyover in the city and will surpass the 1.8-km-long JJ flyover, presently the longest. There will four lanes on each deck. Costing Rs 80 crore, this flyover is likely to be completed by December, 2006," Mr Deshmukh said.

The existing Jogeshwari-Vikroli link road, which is perennially congested, is being expanded as a 10-lane road at a cost of Rs 175 crore. The travelling time between Vikroli and Jogeshwari will get reduced to 20 minutes from 90 minutes now, once the link is completed.

Similarly, the Western Express Highway stretch between Bandra and International Airport will be expanded to 14 lanes and the stretch between the airport and Dahisar will be expanded to 12 lanes. Elevated roads will be constructed at Dharavi, Mulund-Goregaon and Lovegrow junction, Worli.

Commenting on the long overdue Pedder Road flyover, which has been delayed due to objections by local residents, Mr Deshmukh said that experts from IIT (Powai) would soon submit a report.

Mr Arun Mokashi, a transport expert formerly associated with World Bank, has welcomed the projects. According to him, the flyovers will bring respite to car-owners.

The SCLR is rated high on the 2002 MUTP feasibility study. "It was a dream project mooted way back in 1960s and it has taken almost taken four decades to reach this stage."

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