Eastern Freeway update

Mumbai's Eastern Freeway project connecting the island city with Anik in Wadala received a leg-up when the Centre allowed the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) to use a 3.26-hectare salt pan land for it. The decision was taken in the group of ministers (GoM) meeting in New Delhi on Friday. The project had earlier run into a road block when two salt pan owners refused to let MMRDA use their land for the construction of a 700-m stretch of the road link. Chief minister Ashok Chavan, who presented the MMRDA’s case at the GoM meeting said, “The GoM has cleared a stretch of salt pan land for the Eastern Freeway project.’’ However, the dispute over releasing salt pan lands for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers remained inconclusive, said a source. The 11.93-km Eastern Freeway, which starts at P D’Mello Road, passes through the BPT road that runs parellel to the docks. Most of the stretch is elevated. Once completed, the travel time from CST to Anik will be 20 minutes and it will mostly cater to dock traffic. Principal secretary of the urban development department T C Benjamin said, “A 700-m stretch of the freeway passed through Datkhudai and Hormuz salt pans. These salt pans had been leased by the salt commissioner (Union industrial policy and promotion department) and the lessees had obtained a permanent injunction from the high court against the acquistion of the land. So, after taking legal opinion, we decided to approach the Centre, which owns the land. The MMRDA needs a patch of 3.26 hectares for the project and we will soon get it,’’ said Benjamin. Officials said the salt pan lease expired in 1962, but the HC stay had permitted them to use the land. According to him, now that the missing link has been found, work on the four-lane road will be completed by June 2011. The project was estimated to cost Rs 350 crore when the MMRDA approved it, but now, it will cost around Rs 531 crore. Unlike the sea link, which costs at least Rs 50 as a toll, travelling on the freeway will not require any such charge.