Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
MMR’s infra projects: A status check
THANE: The cities of Thane, KalyanDombivli and Navi Mumbai in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have seen major real estate boom in the last two decades. Most people from Mumbai and other metro cities across India settle down here due to the affordable real estate cost. The infrastructure with respect to roads and connectivity, however, has failed to cope up with the increasing population. The four cities collectively have a population of more than 57 lakh. Lakhs travel by road on a daily basis and traffic congestion has become one of the major issues grappling all the cities. The recent cave-in followed by closure of a part of the Mumbra Bypass bridge has brought the traffic in all the cities to a standstill for more than a week now. It also highlights the need for alternate roads to major highways. Various planning authorities have undertaken some ambitious projects to resolve the traffic situation. Some of these projects were proposed more than a decade ago but are yet to be completed. Hindustan Times does a status check on five such projects in the MMR.
Vital link: Connects Thane, Navi Mumbai and Mumbai along Eastern Express Highway.
Proposed in: 2005.
Work started: April 24, 2018. Status: 90% work on first phase completed; nine months for two lanes in second phase.
Deadline: May 2022.
Cost: ₹258.76Cr.
Authority implementing: Mumbai Metropolitan Road Development Authority. Specifications: 796m in length and 37.40m in width.
Vital link: Connects Navi Mumbai, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, Mumbai to Nashik, Ahmedabad, Pune and Agra. Proposed in: 2016.
Work started : March 2020.
Status : 70% work completed. Deadline: March 2022.
Cost: ₹198Cr.
Authority implementing: Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd (MSRDC).
Specifications: 21km in length and six-lane width.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS WERE PROPOSED NEARLY A DECADE AGO. HOWEVER, THE WORK IS STILL NOT COMPLETE. THE IMPENDING WORK IS LEADING TO MAJOR SNARLS ALONG EASTERN EXPRESS HIGHWAY, KALWA BRIDGE, SION-PANVEL HIGHWAY AND SHIL PHATA.