Mumbai: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has appointed and approved Bhopal-based Lion Engineering Consultants for project management of the Eastern Freeway Extension work between Anand Nagar and Saket. The consultant will prepare a detailed project report, which, in turn, will help in executing the project.
The proposed 6.30km bridge will commence outside Anand Nagar at Mulund Toll Naka on the Eastern Express Highway and continue up to Saket. The elevated road will help decongest arterial roads in Thane.
Work to commence after six to eight months
The appointment of project management consultant, for which MMRDA had floated a bid in October last year, was approved on Thursday at the executive committee meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Secretary. MMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas said the contract period for the project is six to eight months and work will commence after that.
The elevated road project was given a go ahead over a year ago, on Nov 21, 2021. Earlier this year, in MMRDA’s financial budget, the project was allocated ₹200 crore. In the months to come, as the reports are in and construction commences, the project cost is likely to be well beyond this amount.
In one of the previous authority meetings chaired by the then Urban Development Department Minister and MMRDA’s Chairman Eknath Shinde, it was decided to extend Orange Gate-Ghatkopar Eastern Freeway up to Thane.
On the Eastern Express Highway, this elevated road will be constructed parallel to the existing flyovers and under construction Wadala-Ghatkopar-Thane-Ovale-Gaikmukh Metro corridor.
