To improve access to the proposed coastal road in Mumbai and provide a vital east-west link in the city, the state government is considering a flyover which will connect to the Eastern Freeway.
To improve access to the proposed coastal road in Mumbai and provide a vital east-west link in the city, the state government is considering a flyover which will connect to the Eastern Freeway.
The flyover will start from Carnac Bunder, just where the southern arm of the Freeway ends, and run over the congested Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (SVP) Road to ultimately reach Marine Drive.
Officials admit that construction of an elevated road on an already congested section, which cuts through residential and commercial areas of Null Bazar, Bhendi Bazaar and Girgaum that are choc-a-bloc with old buildings, hawkers, cars and narrow carriageways, presents its own challenges.
In fact, the bridge will even have to go over the existing JJ Flyover at Bhendi Bazaar and Gol Deval Temple near Alankar Cinema on SVP Road.
A senior state government official, who attended the empowered committee meeting where the proposal was discussed and approved last week, told dna that the 4-odd-km flyover was aimed at providing "full connectivity, considering the long-term requirements and the importance of South Mumbai".
The flyover, which will have two lanes on either side and cost around Rs200 crore, will be constructed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and land in the vicinity of the Tambe Chowk on Marine Drive.
However, when MMRDA commissioner UPS Madan was asked about the project's viability, he replied, "There is a demand by some members of the empowered committee to construct a flyover on SVP Road, but we haven't yet taken any decision on it."
Notwithstanding Madan's response, the state official said, "The flyover will start from Orange Gate and end near Chowpatty." He added that people coming from the Eastern Freeway could take a right turn to get on to this elevated road and exit it to take the tunnel to Priyadarshani Park, which has been proposed in the Rs11,000-crore coastal road plan, to go northwards.
This tunnel, which will begin near Priyadarshani Park, will bifurcate into a small tunnel leading to Malabar Hill and landing near Babulnath and a larger one going to Nariman Point, the official said. A one-lane flyover has also been proposed from Walkeshwar to Marine Drive for smoother traffic movement.
The official, however, admitted that there were doubts about the utility of the proposed 5-odd-km tunnel linking Priyadarshani Park with Nariman Point, considering the declining economic activity in South Mumbai.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}