The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has received a green light for an ambitious infrastructure project in the city. This project, a new cable-stayed bridge in Mumbai, received a go-ahead from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) last week. This was the final stamp of approval that the BMC needed to proceed with the construction task.
Also Read: No Mumbai Local Trains on Belapur-Kharkopar-Nerul Line After 3 Coaches of Trans-Harbour Line Derail
The bridge is expected to cut down the travel time between Madh island and Versova significantly. The project was conceived nearly a decade ago. Yet, its blueprint was only finalised by the BMC in 2020. The upcoming bridge will be 1.5 km in length and 27.5 m wide with a total of four lanes – two lanes on each side. Its estimated cost is around Rs 400 crores.
Currently, commuters can travel between Versova and Madh island by ferry, which does not operate during the monsoon for a period of four months due to the increased water level. The only other option to cross Madh-Versova Creek is to travel 22 kilometres by road, taking the Western Express Highway (WEH) or SV Road. This route usually takes anywhere between 45 and 90 minutes. With the new bridge, this commute time will come down to somewhere between 7 and 10 minutes, BMC said.
The long-sought approval for the project has come after some major hurdles. In March last year, MCZMA asked the BMC to find an alternate alignment for this bridge. Their reasoning for this direction was to ensure minimum damage to mangrove forests in the region. The Versova-Madh fishing community had also raised a voice of opposition against the project. They had said that the proposed bridge would generate difficulty in parking fishing boats.
P Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (Projects), said that the latest alignment plan of this bridge is agreeable to the fisherfolk and coastal zonal authorities. Civic officials stated that temporary culverts will be set up during construction to avoid any damage to the mangroves. A tender for the bridge is expected to be floated soon after BMC studies the letter of approval from MCZMA in detail.
Read all the Latest Auto News here
Comments
0 comment