Unclog Worli jn: BMC plans ₹280-cr bridge
MUMBAI : To unclog Worli Naka (junction) in South Mumbai and increase footfall at Nehru Science Centre, Nehru Centre Art Gallery and Nehru Planetarium, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will construct a vehicular bridge between E Moses Road and Annie Besant Road at Worli.
The 571-metre bridge, at a cost of ₹280 crore, will be constructed over the nullah adjoining Nehru Science Centre, and will not have any project affected persons, or clogged traffic due to construction along existing roads, through the duration of the project, civic authorities said.
Along with this vehicular bridge, BMC will construct a pedestrian underpass between the two buildings, which are roughly 500 metre apart and are popular among school children, and families. However, to commute between any of these three locations, visitors are required to navigate heavy traffic on the two major roads mentioned above.
Worli Naka is a major junction where five roads meet, connecting Lower Worli, Lower Parel, Elphinstone or Prabhadevi areas, Mahalaxmi and Upper Worli. E Moses Road and Annie Besant Road branch out from Worli Naka, are side by side, yet almost perpendicular to each other, due to small curves mid-way.
While E Moses Road has major landmarks such as The Worli Engineering Hub, the Nehru Science Centre, and the Four Seasons Hotel, Annie Besant Road has Atria Mall, National Sports Club of India, Lala Lajpat Rai College, and leads to Haji Ali Junction from the Worli Naka.
As a part of this project, BMC will also improve the turn onto Annie Besant Road at the Worli Naka, as it is presently a sharpblind turn, officials from the civic body’s bridges department said.
“The vehicular bridge is a
Worli
Importance:
Cost two-way bridge. It will be constructed entirely on the nullah, and we will leave a gap of approximately 19 metre between each of the pillars of the bridge - which are to be established on the nullah banks - for unhampered movement of machinery used for desilting. The access road to the nullah will be maintained as it is,” said Satish Thosar, Chief Engineer of the Bridges Department of BMC.
The bridge will land on AB Nair Road abutting Nehru Planetarium,
from there it will be at road level for a few metres until it joins Annie Besant Road.
Overall, this is part of an exhaustive plan to enhance road safety, decongest the Worli area and make it pedestrian and commuter-friendly.
Multiple other small interventions are being taken across the G/south ward for the same, such as enhanced and visible zebra crossings, road signages, traffic island like refuge areas for pedestrians crossing at the roads etc.
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