MMRDA to construct elevated lanes on MU land

MMRDA Commissioner U.P.S. Madan and Mumbai University V-C Dr. Sanjay Deshmukh at a press meet in BKC. (Photo: Mrugesh Bandiwadekar)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is set to construct a 1.2-km-long four lanes elevated corridor between Diamond Bourse Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Vakola junction near the Western Express Highway (WEH) which would require the Mumbai University (MU) in Kalina to concede land measuring 34,715 square metres to the infrastructure agency.

The MMRDA and Mumbai University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the same. In return, the MMRDA will compensate MU in terms of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR).

TDR means making available certain amount of additional built up area in lieu of the area relinquished or surrendered by the owner of the land. “The project aims to solve traffic congestion problem in and around BKC and will be completed in another 24 months with the cooperation of Mumbai University as the elevated bridge would be constructed above the boundary walls of MU’s campus at Kalina,” said U.P.S. Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA.

“Besides, the MMRDA will also construct a 400-metre long and 30-metre wide road in the vicinity of MU's campus for additional connectivity from BKC to the existing Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR). For this, the MU will hand over a land admeasuring 15,881 square metres of land to MMRDA. Whereas, in all MU will handover a land admeasuring 34,715 square metre,” said MMRDA in a statement on Friday.

The estimated cost of the work is `253 crore. This elevated corridor will help BKC-bound traffic to skip almost the entire 3-km busy stretch between Vakola junction and the start of BKC at the Kalanagar junction.

Currently, to enter BKC one needs to travel via the CST road in Kurla and WEH at the Kalanagar junction.

Dr Sanjay Deshmukh, vice-chancellor, Mumbai University, said, "We have been serving the society since years with education and now when its time to upgrade infrastructure we will extend our full cooperation. The TDR we receive as compensation will be sold to private parties with the assistance of MMRDA in the open market.”