BMC to spend Rs 743 cr on 5.6 km elevated road connecting Grant Road and Eastern Freeway
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IN A major move towards decongesting traffic in Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to construct a 5.6-km-long elevated road, which will connect the southernmost end of the Eastern Freeway with Grant Road.
Civic officials said the aim is to connect entire South Mumbai through a network of arterial roads to prevent snarls and bumper-to-bumper traffic.
The Eastern Freeway is a 17-km-long highway that connects the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) in Chembur in the eastern suburbs with P.D. Mello Road in South Mumbai, just near the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). This high-speed highway is a major connector that brings down travel time significantly. The freeway became operational in 2014 and since then has played a key role in reducing travel time between South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs.
However, as soon as the freeway ends in P.D. Mello Road, vehicular congestion begins as there are no additional roads available for the vehicles to proceed smoothly towards downtown Mumbai.
P. Velrasu, additional municipal commissioner (projects), said that the new elevated road will originate from P.D. Mello Road and will run till Grant Road on the western side by traversing through the J.J. Flyover.
“This elevated corridor has been planned as an universal project and will not be an extension of the freeway. At present, there is no alternate route available at the freeway drop point in P.D. Mello Road and those who have to travel towards Grant Road, Malabar Hill or Girgaon have to go through Marine Drive. This flyover will provide direct connectivity and play a key role in removing traffic blockage near P.D. Mello Road and Colaba,” Velrasu said at a Townhall organised by The Indian Express.
At present, travelling towards Grant Road from P.D. Mello Road or Colaba takes 30-50 minutes, depending on the rush. However, Velrasu said that once this bridge is operational travel time will be approximately 6-7 minutes.
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He said that in the next few years, vehicular inflow and outflow will also increase in South Mumbai after the dispersal arm of the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Road (MTHL) joins the freeway, which will bring additional load of vehicles travelling not just from Mumbai but also from Navi Mumbai as well. Velrasu said that this problem will be tackled by a significant margin once the flyover becomes operational.
The BMC has already carried out a traffic analysis and this flyover has three lanes. The total length of the arterial road will be 5.6 km and has been divided into four packages. The cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 743.28 crore and interestingly, the BMC has set a 36-month deadline for the project.
In December 2022, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) had proposed an underground tunnel to connect Marine Drive with the freeway.
Velrasu said that the elevated road will prove to be an added advantage alongside the tunnel, and will declutter vehicular inflow in South Mumbai.
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The road will be constructed over single column pillars and as the columns will be centrally located, the BMC will have to relocate existing utility services like the BEST power cables, underground stormwater drains and sewer channels.
Pratip Acharya is a seasoned journalist based in Mumbai reporting for The Indian Express. With a career spanning over a decade, his work demonstrates strong Expertise and Authority in critical urban issues, civic affairs, and electoral politics across Eastern and Western India.
Expertise & Authority
Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express (IE), reporting from Mumbai.
Core Authority: Pratip's reporting focuses sharply on local democracy and development, specializing in:
Urban Governance and Civic Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis of municipal decision-making, city planning, and local infrastructure, essential for informed urban reporting.
City Politics and Environment: Covering the political dynamics of Mumbai and surrounding areas, alongside critical environmental challenges impacting the metro region.
Electoral Coverage (High-Stakes Experience): He has extensive experience in high-stakes political reporting, having covered major elections, establishing his Trustworthiness in political analysis:
National: Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and 2019.
State: West Bengal Assembly elections in 2016 and Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019.
Major Assignments (Ground Reporting): Pratip demonstrated commitment during crises by conducting ground reporting throughout the Covid-19 pandemic since its breakout in 2020, offering first-hand accounts and analysis of the public health crisis.
Experience
Extensive Experience: Starting his career in 2014, Pratip has built his foundation across multiple prominent English dailies:
Started at The Times of India in Kolkata (2014).
Relocated to Mumbai (2016) and worked with The Free Press Journal and Hindustan Times before joining The Indian Express.
Pratip Acharya's diverse experience across major publications, coupled with his specialized focus on the intricate details of urban governance and a track record of covering major electoral and health crises, establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for news from India's critical metropolitan centres. ... Read More
