Central Railway gives go-ahead for launching of SCLR girders

The Central Railway (CR) has finally given permission to the two infrastructure agencies to start launching girders for the delayed Santa Cruz Chembur Link Road (SCLR) project.    

The nodal agency Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the implementing agency Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRTC) have been waiting for issue of blocks (time for work) by the CR since March this year.  

“Permission to commence launching of girders was given on Friday. Thereafter, work has begun at Kurla,” confirmed Dilip Kawathkar, spokesperson of MMRDA.   

The CR has approved limited blocks in order to manage rail traffic. Only three days have been allotted for the girder-launching activity. According to an MMRDA official, the blocks will be given in phases to ensure smooth flow of rail traffic. The authorities have erected a temporary pillar to support the girders while the launching is being carried out. The CR has also put restriction over the train speed at the construction site. 

As the process of launching girders has begun, the project is now scheduled for completion by March 2014. Once ready, the SCLR will save substantial time and fuel as it will cut short travel between Santa Cruz and Chembur. During peak hours, it takes over an hour to travel between the two suburbs, but with the link road in place, it is expected to reduce travel time to less than half an hour.

Super fast: As the process of launching girders has begun, the project is now scheduled for completion by March 2014.