Rs 120 crore cycle track along Tansa pipeline

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will spend nearly Rs 120 crore on the construction of cycle and jogging tracks along the Tansa pipeline in areas like Ghatkopar, Chembur, Sewri-Parel and Bandra-Santacruz east.

The tracks will be constructed on the available open space along the Tansa pipeline after removing the encroachments, as per the high court directives.

According to civic officials, this is the second phase of cycle track project, which involves laying down of 12 km-long cycle and jogging track, contruction of service road, landscape, tree plantation, electrification, retaining wall and storm water drains.

Out of the total project cost of Rs 120 crore, Rs 10 crore would be spent for per kilometre on the construction of cycle and jogging track. The BMC has allotted the project to the Skyway Infraprojects company.

In the first phase, the BMC has undertaken construction of 14-km long cycle track from Mulund to Sahar Road at the cost of Rs 161 crore.

Since last year, BMC has been carrying out massive demolition drives to remove over 16,000 encroa-chments for the security of Tansa pipeline. In order to ensure that the encroachers do not return, the BMC drew up this project of developing the cycling and jogging track on the cleared area.

“The BMC has already identified 16,583 encroaching structures near water pipelines, which would be removed as per the high court orders.

The civic body is also constructing a retaining wall to protect the track from future encroachments,” said a senior civic official.

According to civic officials, the BMC has been working on creating infrastructure, especially for pedestrians and cyclists across the city.

During his budget speech earlier this year, BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta had announced a cycling and pedestrian track between  Bandra fort and the Bandra-Worli sea link.