Peddar Rd flyover fate to be decided soon

State government officials,who had been confident of obtaining a clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests for a proposed coastal road from Worli where the Bandra-Worli Sea Link ends,admit they had contemplated scrapping the flyover since it would be duplicated by MSRDC’s coastal road plan that proposed a reclaimed road and a tunnel from Haji Ali to Tambe Chowk via Napean Sea Road. The state government had asked MSRDC to look at other options,such as a series of car decks near the Haji Ali signal to ease traffic movement instead of a flyover along Peddar Road.

A senior bureaucrat said,“The panel set up for evaluating the coastal road procedure is likely to come up with a report in a month. There are many ifs and buts in the planning. We have discussed that if a coastal road is cleared,we can put the Peddar Road flyover plan on hold and see what relief the coastal road brings to the junction and then take a call.”

Now,with the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link a certainty,there is a sense of urgency among MSRDC officials for finding a solution for the dispersal system. The MSRDC is still unclear of when the work on the flyover could start as they have been asked by the MoEF to hold a public meeting before initiating work. “We will be able to decide only after the public meeting. The flyover is crucial with regard to the dispersal of traffic in the area,” said Bipin Shrimali,vice-chairman and managing director,MSRDC.

The challenges before the MSRDC for constructing the 4.33-km flyover,which was proposed in 2000,are opposition from residents and the environment nod. The Rs 160-crore flyover will start from Haji Ali junction and end at Tambe Chowk on Marine Drive,near Wilson College.

In October 2010,the expert appraisal committee of the MoEF had directed the MSRDC to conduct a public hearing regarding the flyover. Minister of Public Works Department (Public Undertakings) Jaydutt Kshirsagar wrote to Jairam Ramesh,Union Environment Minister,in February making him aware of the urgency of clearing the flyover.

A senior MSRDC official said the public hearing is likely to be held in May. “The date has not been fixed yet,but formalities from our end have been completed,” he said.

Meanwhile,the residents of Peddar Road are awaiting the public hearing and are ready with their points for the committee.

“We have discussed the issues on several occasions earlier and will once again put forward our points. There are issues ranging from traffic management to demolition of the Kemps Corner flyover and pollution,etc. Why are the authorities forgetting that Peddar Road is a residential area with over 100 buildings and not just a road? How are they planning exits for Jaslok Hospital? One day there was a raasta roko on Peddar Road and the entire city that comes and goes through the road suffered. This is going to take years,” said Maninder Singh,secretary of the Peddar Road Residents’ Association.

Despite stiff opposition by the residents and hurdles in acquiring environment clearance,the MSRDC is confident of constructing the flyover within 16 months of the commencement of work.