Work on Kherwadi flyover's north arm to start in October 1st week

Construction of the north-bound arm of the Kherwadi junction flyover on the Western Express Highway (WEH) may begin in the first week of October.

The north arm will greatly improve the situation in the Kherwadi-Kalanagar junction, one of the city's busiest traffic junctions with over 7,000 vehicles crossing it per hour during peak hours. When it is ready, it will allow a signal-free commute for motorists headed in either direction between Dahisar check naka and Worli Sea Face.

The decision was made after a series of meetings held among the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the traffic police, and the firm constructing the bridge to finally traffic diversion plans. If the plan is satisfactory, ground work will begin in the first week of October.

"We have not fixed a particular date for the beginning of construction activity, but as per the plans discussed, work on the 585-mts-long arm should commence in the first week of October," said an MMRDA official.

"Last weekend, we conducted an exercise where we diverted vehicles on to the south-bound Kherwadi flyover by drilling in reflective lane dividers on the bridge and demolishing part of the median on either ends of the structure," said an official from the development authority. Out of the three lanes on the completed Kherwadi bridge, two lanes would be used for south Mumbai-bound traffic, whereas one lane will be for motorists heading towards western suburbs.

Similar trials of traffic diversions will be conducted in the coming weekends to ensure that waiting time is minimal for motorists heading towards suburban Mumbai. The service road will also be utilised for better traffic management.

For better traffic management, construction of the flyover was divided into two phases, starting with the south-bound bridge. Once groundwork begins, the flyover's north arm is likely to be ready before the next monsoon season.

Construction of south-bound Kherwadi junction flyover had taken off on November 1 last year. The flyover was inaugurated on June 16, a record duration of seven and a half months instead of the usual permitted 18 months.