BKC-Chunnabatti link road may not be ready next year
MMRDA has not received CR's nod for constructing ROB at Sion and Chunabhatti railway stations.
Mumbai: Although chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex) -Chunabhatti connector — a 1.7 km elevated road — will be ready to use by December 2018, it is not likely to be completed by next year. This is because the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has not received the Central Railway nod for constructing ROB (Rail Overbridge) at Sion and Chunabhatti railway stations, a part of alignment of the elevated road. The four-lane wide bridge will connect BKC to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). The project was announced in the year of 2014, but the civil work began by 2015.
“We have been waiting for a nod from the railways from the past one year, their permissions are crucial as the ROB needs to pass above the stations and meet the Chunabhatti end,” said Dilip Kawathkar, joint projects director, MMRDA. The Asian Age tried contacting Central Railways authorities, but they remained unavailable for comment.
In a project review meeting on October 6, Mr Fadnavis had vowed that work on the connector would be fast-tracked and the elevated road would be thrown open to public by December 2018. Once operational, commuters from eastern suburbs, Thane and Navi-Mumbai who currently ply the congested Sion -Dharavi link road to reach BKC will get relief. The elevated road is expected to cut the travel time by 30 minutes and ease congestion in Sion and Dharavi areas.
The elevated connector will start from the G-Block of BKC and after crossing Mithi river, LBS Marg, Central Railway tracks and VK Mankikar road, it will lead to Chunabhatti railway station. Passing above the harbour line, it will pass through Somaiyya Trust Ground to join the EEH. “The work has been in progress till the LBS Marg,” added Mr Kawathkar. The cost of the project is around '156 crore and the contract has been awarded to J. Kumar.