Mumbai : With an aim to decongest Ghodbunder Road, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has planned an elevated road on the hilly section of the road. Earlier, MSRDC had proposed construction of flyovers to reduce the traffic congestion on GB Road, which was opposed by residents and transport experts.
Over the last decade, with the spurt in the number of residential complexes on the arterial road, it has seen tremendous increase in vehicular traffic.
The most vehicular traffic is between Borivli and Thane city. Around five years ago, the GB Road was broadened along the Majiwada-Ovala stretch to cater to the growing traffic movement on the road.
According to MSRDC officials, the elevated road will be around 4.4 km and is estimated to cost Rs 450 crore.
“It has been planned to decongest the ghat section. GB road is 6-lane and 10-lane. Only this ghat section has 4 lanes and it connects to the National Highway, so it causes tremendous jams,” said Radheshyam Mopalwar, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, MSRDC.
The area Gaumukh — where the elevated road is proposed — falls under the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, and hence needed a notional go-ahead from the environmental ministry.
“We are not using the forest land, it’s an elevated road on the existing road so there is no major environmental clearance required,” an official said.
According to the MSRDC officials, smaller vehicles can use the elevated road while heavy vehicles would continue to ply on the existing road to ease the traffic congestion in the area.
Officials added that the project is likely to get the nod from the cabinet committee on infrastructure when it is brought up on November 2.
