Working towards increasing the connectivity between Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all set to build a road connecting Mumbai- Mira Bhayandar citing growing public demand. BMC will construct the proposed 6 km long 45-metre wide road from the existing Dahisar Link Road to Bhayandar (west) cutting down the travel time and crazy traffic snarls on the parallel route on the Western Express Highway (WEH).
The project cost is esmitated to be over Rs 3000 crores. And this will become the sixth road to connect Mumbai to MMR and will be connecting Dahisar (West) to Bhayander (West) and further. Besides this alignment of the proposed road traverses through mangroves, Salt pan land, for which the civic body will have to obtain necessary environmental clearance from the concerned authorities. "Due to the presence of mangroves the consultant has designed an elevated corridor through this stretch," said a BMC official.
Originally, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) in 2016 had proposed to construct the missing link road between Dahisar (west) and Bhayandar(west) which will bring down the 10-km-long traverse through the existing Western Express Highway (WEH). However, the project will now be executed by the BMC and the project cost of part of the road in non-BMC jurisdiction will be reimbursed by the MMRDA.
"The project will cut down a significant amount of travel time, besides easing the traffic load on WEH. The project is currently in the process of handing over. This handing over process will take at least a months time," said P Velrasu, BMC's Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects).
BMC officials said that the population of the Mira-Bhayandar city is more than 10 lacs. "At present, there is no motorable road available from Dahisar West to Bhayandar West and Mira road West," they added.
The said project was proposed by MMRDA in its regional plan and MMRDA had requested BMC to incorporate the said extension in Development Plan 2034. However, MMRDA did not start the project yet for various." stated BMC's official note on the project.
A joint meeting was held under the chairmanship of BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on December 16, 2021. It was decided that the BMC will implement and execute the project by continuing the same consultant named STUP consultant -- the firm that had carried out technical feasibility report for the project for MMRDA. It was also decided that MMRDA shall hand over all the technical feasibility reports of a consultant to MCGM.
Harish Pandey, an environmentalist and member of the New Link Road Residents Forum (NLRRF) in Dahisar said, "The BMC needs to take local residents in confidence before starting the project. There are so many questions pertaining to the environmental hazards as the land in question has mangroves and salt pan land passing through. Besides what will be the implications of the project on the local residents and slum dwellers?"
Further MMRDA and BMC's chief engineer shall follow up with the state urban development department for obtaining approval for incorporating the extension plan of the 45-metre wide road in DP 2034.
Environment and tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray took to Twitter to announce the project. He tweeted: " This is part of the proposed north coast road, but since it is essential, the road will be built on a war footing. Connectivity from Dahisar West to Bhayander will help reduce travel time between the two cities as well as reduce traffic and pressure on Dahisar East and WEH."
This however led to a debate on social media, where citizens questioned whether the newly extended link road will have a toll naka like the one in Dahisar on WEH. "The decision regarding toll collection will be jointly decided by MMRDA, MSRDC and BMC," the official note on the project clarified
In order to meet with the additional vehicular rush, the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) will also have to widen its existing roads to eliminate existing bottlenecks. The existing roads in Bhayander are narrow and congested and are unable to cope up with the increasing vehicular presence.
When contacted MBMC commissioner Dilip Dhole said: “The link road is a boon for the twin-city. The MBMC will not have to spend a single penny on the much-needed project. We will extend full support in clearing any type of hurdles and extend any type of logistical assistance to our Mumbai counterparts which are going to execute the roadwork project."
Project: Extension of existing Dahisar Link road to Mira road (west) and onwards to Bhayandar (west)
The total cost of the project: Rs 3096.81 crores
Dimensions of the road
Length: 6km
Total 1.5 km will be in BMC's jurisdiction, 4.5 kms will be in Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation's (MBMC) jurisdiction
Width: 45 metre wide
About the connectivity
The proposed 45-metre wide road is passing through CTS no 207, 208 in village Dahisar and CTS no 532 A via Ganpat Patil Nagar in Dahisar to 534 near village Eksar (Partly) and connected to 27.545 metres wide link road at Dahisar West.
Do you know
This will be the sixth road connecting Mumbai to MMR between Dahisar (West) and Bhayander (West).
The five other existing arterial roads connecting Greater Mumbai limits with its outskirts (MMR) are the Western Express highway (Dahisar), LBS Road (Mulund), Eastern Expressway highway (Mulund), Airoli and Vashi bridges that connect Mumbai to Navi Mumbai.
(With inputs from Suresh Golani)
