Development body scouts for consultants

“We want to increase the scope of the MTHL and link it to the western side of the city too,” an MMRDA engineer said. “Even on the Nhava side,we want to insure that the traffic coming from Pune will directly join the MTHL.”

On the Nhava end of the 22-kilometre MTHL,the state Public Works Department is already working on a four-lane highway from Chirle to Chirner,he said.

“We will work on another 20 km after that to connect the road to NH-17 and to the expressway,” an MMRDA engineer said,adding the road on the Nhava end will have a provision to make it into a six-lane highway in case the traffic increases in the future.

The MMRDA had a project report on the Worli-Sewri road ready about six years ago. The consultants selected for the job will be required to update the report.

“The Worli-Sewri Road should cost about Rs 500-600 crore,while the cost of the construction of the road on the Nhava end should be between Rs 150 crore and Rs 200 crore,” the engineer said.

The MMRDA is taking up the construction of the two connecting roads separately,instead of bundling it as a part of the MTHL. The last date for consultants to send their proposals for the connecting roads is set as January 20.

Late last month,the MMRDA decided to invite requests for qualifications for the MTHL and said it would hold a pre-application conference on December 14 to give a hearing to the suggestions and concerns of the prospective bidders. The application due date is February 7,post which,the MMRDA will announce a list of shortlisted bidders by the end of the month.