Mumbai east-west link ‘work’ to beat election code

MUMBAI: Traffic on the Eastern Express Highway and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg, in between Kurla and Sion, is expected to ease in three years as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is expected to begin work on the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC)-Chunabhatti connector soon.
The bhoomi pujan of the project is likely around August 25, to beat the code of conduct for the state assembly elections.
MMRDA sources said, “The inauguration of work may be this month but actual work will gain speed only after the monsoon.”
Apart from ensuring better connectivity between BKC and the Eastern Express Highway, the project will ease traffic on the Sion-Dharavi Link Road and Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road. Both links are used by motorists to reach BKC or the Western Express Highway.
MMRDA had floated tenders for the project on March 2 before the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections. Gammon India, Simplex Infrastructure, J Kumar, L&T, and JMC Projects bid but a formal work order will be issued after finalization of the contractor at the MMRDA executive committee meeting.
MMRDA had planned to finalise bids by May 30 so that work could begin on June 30, but the process got delayed due to changes in design and queries from interested parties.
A senior official said, “The project was estimated to cost Rs 261 crore but it was revised to Rs 203 crore due to design changes. MMRDA had thought of a cable-stayed bridge over the Mithi River but later decided on a bridge with pillars, which helped save cost.
Apart from the Mithi, a bridge will come up above the Main and Harbour line tracks near Chunabhatti. The connector will originate at G Block, near the MMRDA building at BKC, and culminate at the Eastern Express Highway, near Somaiya Grounds, before the Sion flyover.