SCLR extension: Defence land acquisition inches closer to reality

The under-construction Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) extension project, estimated to be built at a whopping Rs 481 crore, has finally received some response from Union defence ministry on the proposal for acquisition of 0.13 hectares of defence land.

The proposal for the land adjacent to Western Express Highway at Vakola has been accepted five to six years after it was pitched.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a senior official from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that they had recently held an online meeting with defence officials from Delhi. During the meeting, the defence officials also took a review about what all compliances the MMRDA needs to do, which didn’t materialise in previous discussions, mentioned the official.

Though the defence ministry has accepted the proposal there is no declaration on handing over the land parcel.

The MMRDA is responsible to look after the SCLR project works and its progress. The said project been been divided in two phases to decongest Kurla and provide east-west connectivity via the existing SCLR.

The construction of the SCLR extension flyover comprising 3.8km had begun in the year 2016 since then the said project already missed two revised deadlines; (first 2019 and March 2022). Some of the main reasons for delay are as follows: encroachments, Covid-19 induced lockdown that caused migration of labourers, want of defense land shortage of raw material. This all lead to cost escalation also, as per the MMRDA.

Besides, in September last year a steel span in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) of this underconstruction bridge collapsed. When asked why the collapsed part was not rebuild the official replied, "We are waiting for final report from VJTI and also our consultants have reviewed the said steel span strength and what all revisions need to be done. Once VJTI reports comes our contractors will begin the work." The collapsed steel span of this bridge at BKC has a substantial curve and therefore the load of this span has been reduced meaning the cementt among others so to avoid such incident in future, added the official.

So far in Phase 2 of SCLR extension project 70% of civil work completed and is expected to be ready by Nov-2022. Whereas Phase 1 of SCLR comprising 1.8 km one arm on the Hans Burga Marg between the Hotel Grand Hyatt and McDonald’s junction near Raza Chowk in Santacruz was expected to be open this April as per previous reports but yet not been opened.

Published on: Tuesday, May 17, 2022, 09:45 AM IST