The MMRDA has formally sought six months extension for the construction of the much delayed Santacruz-Chembur Link Road as the World Bank representatives commence their progress review mission. In a detailed presentation to the WB officials,the MMRDA has explained the hurdles that are pushing the project beyond the deadline. The biggest concern before the nodal agency and the implementing agencies is the construction of the rail over bridge between Kurla and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. The Central Railway had recently given a go ahead to carry out the construction of the steel bridge for three hours,which according to MMRDA is too less to finish the work in time. The MMRDA had requested for six to seven hours of construction time. Sources from the MMRDA said that with only a few hours for construction,the 6.5-km road is not likely to finish before March 2012. The World Bank,which is funding the mega project,will take a call on the request to extend the deadline to December after a week-long review visit ends. We have given them a detailed presentation on the progress of the SCLR and sought the extension till the year end. We have also mentioned the hurdles, said SVR Srinivas,Additional Metropolitan Commissioner-I,MMRDA. MMRDA officials added that the Mumbai Rail Vikas Corporation (MRVC) has also sought six months extension for the completion of the rail componentsVirar car shed and 5th and 6th Line between Kurla and Thane. The Virar car shed is being built partly under MUTP phase-I (with work of Rs 218 crore) and MUTP phase-II (amounting to Rs 100 crore) and will accommodate 15-car trains as well as the new-age trains. According to the presentation to WB officials,the Bank has so far disbursed Rs 1,037 crore for the project up to December 2010. The rail component received Rs 1,356 crore from WB. Under the rail component,90% infrastructure work has been completed; while 85% of the rolling stock has been obtained. Meanwhile,certain hurdles such as removal of a hotel,a house and some portion of the service road on JVLR are delaying the progress of Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road.
