Changing City: Here’s all you need to know about BMC’s under-construction ROB aimed at decongesting Mumbai’s Ghatkopar

The intersection of the LBS Road and the EEH in Ghatkopar remains congested during the peak hours.

The cost of this project has been pegged at Rs 550 crore and the work order was issued to the Maha Rail in 2022. (Representational/File Photo)

To ensure a respite from the infamous traffic congestions in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is constructing a cable-stayed traffic road-over bridge (ROB) to connect the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) with the Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Road in Ghatkopar.

Why is the project important

Ghatkopar is one of the congested parts in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai. The only connectivity between the LBS road and the EEH is a 77-year-old ROB and it cannot take heavy traffic loads. As a result, the intersection of the LBS Road and the EEH remains congested during the peak hours.

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Significance of the project

To ensure seamless connectivity, a new cable-stayed bridge is being planned. This project will be carried out in two phases and will intersect the Metro lines that will become operational in the fourth phase. Besides this, the bridge will also pass above railway tracks allowing east-west traffic movement.

Features of the project

The bridge will be 38 metre wide and will have six lanes for vehicular movement, including service roads, footpaths and emergency lanes. Besides this, the bridge will also boast of an aesthetic approach since the administration aims to illuminate it in a very unique way.

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Current status

The cost of this project has been pegged at Rs 550 crore and the work order was issued to the Maha Rail in 2022. As of now, 30 per cent of the work has been completed. The BMC aims to open this bridge by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

What the administration says

An official of the BMC’s bridges department said, “The key advantage of this project will be that this bridge is going to provide a direct connectivity to the EEH for all east-bound vehicles. The bridge will also have direct access to Metro stations which will also prove to be a boon to the daily commuters of Mumbai in the days to come.”

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