For the second time, the BMC has extended the deadline to submit bids for its tender for constructing an elevated corridor that would connect Dahisar in the western suburbs with Bhayander in the north. The Dahisar-Bhayander Link Road (DBLR) is an ambitious project of the BMC, which is expected to be the northernmost extension of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project (MCRP). The civic body had invited tenders for the project in October 2022. The cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 3,186 crore and deadline for submitting the bids was on March 10. Despite keeping a six-month window, the BMC didn't get adequate response from bidders and thus the deadline was pushed to March 24. Civic sources said that they are yet to get adequate number of bids and the deadline has been further extended till April 13 now. "The tender conditions state that the selected contractor will have to create the entire planning of this project. The proposed arterial road will pass over mangroves as well as creeks, for which creating the entire blueprint is not an easy task. Therefore, there are frequent queries from the contractors related to the several stages of planning for which we are taking time to submit our replies," a senior official said requesting anonymity. The official further added that the BMC is extending the deadline so that it can be sure about proper planning by the contractor to whom the final work order would be awarded. "If we don't extend the tender deadline, we may not have enough number of bidders which may result in issuing the work order at a higher rate," the official added. The proposed elevated road will be 5.6 km long, out of which 1.5 km will be under the BMC, while 4.1 km will be under the jurisdiction of Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC). The BMC is the planning and executing agency for this project and the primary objective of creating this arterial road is to de-clutter daily traffic movement at Dahisar Check Naka from where vehicles go towards Vasai, Virar, Palghar, Gujarat and northwards to Delhi via Western Express Highway which further extends as National Highway 48. The elevated bridge will be 45-m wide and built on stilts. It will have 4x4 lanes. Officials said that emergency lanes for vehicles like ambulance and fire brigade engines will also be created on both sides. The BMC is also exploring options for creating a multi-level car parking and creating a transport bay beneath this arterial road.
