NCP want Mumbai's Eastern Freeway named after Babasaheb Ambedkar

NCP, a coalition partner in the Congress-led Democratic Front government of Maharashtra, today demanded that the ambitious Eastern Freeway be named after Dalit icon BR Ambedkar.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik has appealed to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan to consider the demand.

"Majority of the project-affected people in Anushakti Nagar belonged to the backward class. They did not object to the development work and surrendered their homes for the project. To respect their sentiments, the freeway should be named after Ambedkar," Malik, who represents the Anushakti Nagar Assembly constituency, said in a statement.

The 4-lane 16.8 km-long Eastern Freeway connects Fort in South Mumbai to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) at Ghatkopar.

Once operational, the Eastern Freeway will ease the traffic woes of commuters to a great extent as it will de-congest the traffic burden on P D'Mello Road and Port Road.

This signal-free, fast corridor to be thrown open to the people soon, is expected to improve connectivity between the Island city and eastern suburbs.