A proposed elevated corridor to Navi Mumbai from the Eastern Express Highway near Ghatkopar took off from the drawing board with the MMRDA signing a deal with a foreign firm to work out the cost and concept.
The third bridge linking Navi Mumbai to Mumbai after those at Vashi and Airoli promises to shorten the journey to the far eastern suburbs where a new international airport seems set to take off finally.
The 6.48 km corridor will originate near Ghatkopar on the EEH and culminate on the Palm Beach Road extension near Koparkhairane. It will help shave about an hour off the time taken to travel to Navi Mumbai and beyond like Pune, Goa and Bangalore.
Now, motorists headed that way either take the Sion-Panvel Highway or Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road (GMLR) to cross the Thane creek by the Vashi toll bridge or take the Airoli bridge via Mulund.
“An MoU was signed with Belgium-based consultancy firm, Ney & Poulissen Engineer and Contractors, who have expertise in building bridges. The firm is expected to suggest the design, work out the cost and also prepare the bid documents for the project. We feel the consultant will be able to complete this task in 12 months,” said a senior MMRDA official. The consultancy will cost about one million euros, half of which is being borne by the Belgium government.
Of the 6.48 km corridor, about 2.33 km will be the bridge above the creek. The entire corridor will be on stilts as it will pass over mangroves. The consultant will decide if it will have four or six lanes.
“The project will help decongest the Sion-Trombay road and GMLR. It will help western suburbs residents too as they can reach the corridor fast by hitting Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link road or Andheri-Ghatkopar Link road,” said a senior official.
At the Navi Mumbai end, a short drive from the corridor will be the Thane-Belapur Road, which connects with the Pune and Goa highways. For Kalyan, one can take Shil Phata Road via Mahape.
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