Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road: BMC floats Rs 918 crore tender for flyover arms

The 2.9-km-long GMLR was built at a cost of Rs 732 crore, and was opened for vehicular movement in 2021.

The BMC had floated the tenders for constructing the two proposed arms on September 14, however, documents also show that the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra, had written to the BMC authorities urging them to change the alignment of the proposed flyover arms, since they are falling in the alignment of a proposed metro railway corridor.

According to the BMC’s plan the elevated flyover arms will originate from T-Junction Nagar in the Sion-Panvel Highway at the eastern suburbs and will cater to vehicles travelling between Vashi and Ghatkopar.

Civic officials said that the basic idea is to decongest the T-Junction which records severe traffic congestion throughout the day. “Considering the heavy traffic load recorded at this junction, motorists spend more than 15 minutes due to traffic jams in this signal,” said an official.

“The two proposed flyovers will originate from this T junction and will be connected with the existing GMLR. By this way, vehicles travelling towards Ghatkopar can climb up to the bridge without getting stopped at the junction and vehicles travelling towards Navi Mumbai will be able to access the expressway by switching the GMLR,” the official added.

Sources said that the proposal of constructing this bridge came from the local Nationalist Congress Party (NCP – Ajit Pawar) MLA, Nawab Malik, who had written to the chief minister, Eknath Shinde mooting this proposal.

Meanwhile, in a letter sent to the BMC authorities on August 12, the CIDCO had said that the proposed flyover is falling in alignment of the proposed metro corridor that will connect the Mumbai international airport with the upcoming airport at Navi Mumbai.

“CIDCO is carrying out a DPR for the proposed Metro Line and the same is to be taken up for implementation at the earliest. At Mankhurd, the alignment of this Metro Line is proposed along GMLR and then turning towards the proposed metro station at ISBT. Now, it is noticed that this alignment is getting infringed by a bridge proposed by BMC across Sion Panvel Highway near Maharashtra Nagar,” read the CIDCO’s letter to BMC.

“In this regard, BMC is requested to take into consideration the proposed Metro Line and accordingly modify the bridge alignment…” the letter said.

Meanwhile, civic officials maintained that the BMC has provided them with the blueprint of the proposed flyover project and a middle ground will be reached.
The officials said that BMC had carried out a feasibility study before going ahead with floating the tenders. “We have proposed that the metro lines can pass adjoining the two flyover arms, while a gap of two feet could be maintained between the structures. When we had received the letter, the tender was in final stages, as a result, floating the tenders couldn’t be deferred,” an official maintained.

Speaking on cost escalation civic officials maintained, “The proposed flyover arms will be constructed with a steel body and the timeline of completion is of 36 months, therefore, we have kept in mind all the possible cost escalation that may take place with regards to raw materials. Also, in addition to the bridge, we have to construct traffic bays and signages and signals, which has a seperate cost,”

The proposed flyover arms will be 1.47 km and 1.93 km in length. Each arm will have two vehicular carriageways and average width ranging between 6.5 meters and 8.5 meters.