Devp body picks consultant for study on multi-modal corridor

According to MMRDA officials,the corridor will be divided into two phases 90-km Phase-I from Virar to Panvel and 50-km Phase-II from Panvel to Alibaug. It will provide a 30-metre-wide Metro corridor in the median; a four-lane corridor for BRTS and another four-lane corridor for other traffic; and five-metre-wide pedestrian pathways,seven-metre-wide two-lane service roads,2.5-metre-wide parking lanes for four-wheelers,3.5-metre-wide lanes for two-wheelers and two-metre footpaths on either side.

“The experts,while preparing the comprehensive transport study,had suggested a multi-modal corridor in the MMR. The suggestion came up when they studied the travelling habits of 996 villages,which included premier areas such as Thane,New Mumbai,Kalyan,Dombivli,Mira Road,Bhayandar,Bhiwandi,Ulhasnagar,Ambernath,Kulgaon,Nalasopara,Vasai,Virar,Navaghar,Alibaug,Karjat,Khopoli,Matheran,Panvel,Pen and Uran. The study also suggested that more such projects are required to rid the city of Mumbai and its metropolitan region of traffic woes,” Metropolitan commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has,meanwhile,promised the MMRDA to expand 90 km of the high-speed corridor. The MMRDA,which will construct the remaining 50 km of road network,will require land for increasing the width of the existing stretch.