To make way for Mumbai’s Coastal Road, BMC to demolish a flyover that was constructed just seven years ago
The MTNL flyover at at Goregaon West, operational since 2018, significantly reduced travel time in the area and its demolishion can lead to increased traffic congestion.
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The MTNL flyover became operational in 2018 after staying in the pipeline for more than a decade. (Source: File)The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to bring down the Veer Savarkar flyover at Goregaon West since the structure is falling in alignment with the Mumbai Coastal Road project’s second phase, which will connect Versova in the western suburbs with Dahisar in northern Mumbai.
The premium flyover, one of the primary connectors, was built in 2018 at a cost of Rs 27 crore. Locally, the bridge is also known as the MTNL flyover and originates from near the Radisson hotel adjoining the Western Express Highway (WEH) and extends till Rustomjee Ozone.
The MTNL flyover became operational in 2018 after staying in the pipeline for more than a decade. At present, the flyover provides a direct connection to Goregaon and Malad areas from the WEH, bringing down travel time to less than ten minutes, which used to take more than 45 minutes. As a result, the demolition of this flyover will lead to immense traffic congestion in the western suburbs.
According to the civic body’s norms, the structural feasibility of any newly constructed bridge is set to last at least 20 years. Civic officials said that the proposed alignment will connect a portion of the coastal road with the upcoming Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) to provide
“When this flyover was conceptualised, there was no direct connectivity planned between the second phase of the coastal road and the GMLR since both these projects were planned independently. As part of the revised plan, there has been a proposal to connect these two corridors so that motorists can get direct east-west access as well. As a result, the MTNL flyover is falling in line with the project, and we have proposed its demolition,” said an official privy to this project.
The official said that as an alternative, a double-decker flyover has been planned that will provide vehicle access between Mindspace and Dindoshi, where the current flyover stands. The civic officials said that the blueprint of the bridge has been prepared and is being sent to the civic administration for final approval.
The proposed second phase of the coastal road has been divided into six different packages. Package A will cover 4.5 km between Versova and Bangur Nagar (Goregaon), and package B will cover 1.66 km between Bangur Nagar and Mindspace (Malad). The packages C and D will include twin tunnels – 3.9 KM long – connecting Mindspace at Malad with Charkop in Kandivali.
Package E will be 3.78 km, connecting Charkop with Gorai, and the final package, F, will be 3.69 km, connecting Gorai with Dahisar. From Dahisar, the civic authorities are constructing another 5.6 km elevated corridor that will extend till Bhayander in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The overall project will be 25 km long, and the total cost of these two projects has been pegged at Rs 20,000 crore. The BMC secured environmental clearances last year, allowing the project to proceed, and on-ground work commenced this year.
Phase two of the coastal road will feature a series of underground tunnels, a cable-stayed bridge, and vehicular interchanges, all designed to enhance north-south connectivity. The coastal road will also provide connectivity with the Goregaon Mulund Link Road (GMLR) an east-west connector that is also being constructed by the Mumbai civic body.
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