MMR gets new traffic decongestion plan

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Development Authority (MMRDA)
has approved construction of six
flyovers and an underpass in the
Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR)
to decongest traffic in the city.
While the Santacruz Chembur Link
Road (SCLR) and Eastern Freeway
have provided another East-West link in the city, partially decongesting the
Sion-Dharavi link road, there are several bottlenecks on these roads. The two
ends of SCLR roads are clogged during peak hours creating nasty traffic
snarls. Besides congestion at Chheda Nagar, encroachments on the KurlaKalina stretch and build-ups towards the turn at Bandra Kurla Complex and
the Western Express Highway are known to regularly slow down traffic.
Similarly, commissioning of the Eastern Freeway has also led to traffic
bottlenecks on the P DMello road.
Construction of six flyovers approved
The executive committee of MMRDA has recommended to the authority road
network improvement project to rid the traffic chaos being created by the
innumerable vehicles assimilating at Chheda Nagar from the SantacruzChembur Link Road and the Eastern Freeway. Both these roads provide
hassle-free traffic movement only to be slowed down at Chheda Nagar,
Ghatkopar-East.
The first three-lane flyover will be 680 metre in length from Sion towards
Thane, running parallel to the existing three-lane flyover. It is estimated to
cost Rs 57.66 crore.
The second flyover, costing Rs 94.39 crore, is a 1,240-metre-long flyover of
two lanes that will run above the existing Chedda Nagar flyover and carry
traffic coming from Navi Mumbai towards Thane.
The MMRDA will also construct a 650-metre long road of two lanes to connect
Chheda Nagar to the Amar Mahal junction flyover, which in turn takes
vehicles on the SCLR. This cost of this road is pegged at Rs 52.28 crore.
The rest of the three flyovers and an underpass is planned to come up in the
Navi Mumbai region of MMR. The locations are Larsen & Toubro Junction on

Shil Phata-Mahape Road, between Ghansoli Naka and Talawali Naka, on

Savita Chemicals Naka, and an underpass at Mahape Junction on ThaneBelapur Road. The estimated total cost of these four projects is pegged at
Rs337.85 crore.
Impact on real estate
Homes and offices located in the proximity of transportation infrastructure
command a premium because of the increased accessibility. The Eastern
Freeway and Santacruz-Chembur Link Road have changed the way Mumbai
commutes and propelled real estate development in neighbouring areas.
Their further decongestion will improve connectivity and spur real estate
growth in the areas connected by these infrastructure projects.
The Mumbai Eastern Freeway is a 16.8 km- long highway designed especially
for high-speed vehicular traffic constructed between Fort in South Mumbai
and Eastern Express Highway in Ghatkopar. It is a signal-free stretch of land
and has cut down travel time between Shivaji Chowk in Chembur and
Mumbai CST by 25-30 minutes The Eastern Freeway led to prices zooming in
the Wadala-Sewri belt and turned Chembur into a gateway to Navi Mumbai
and South Mumbai. Due to the reduced commuting time to South Mumbai,
demand for commercial and residential properties went up, and housing
prices in locations such as Chembur and Ghatkopar increased by
approximately 2830 per cent over the last two years, says Nikhil Bhatia,
Co-head Capital Markets India & Head West India, CBRE South Asia.
Indias first double-decker flyover, Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) has
provided much-needed East-West connectivity in Mumbai. Starting from
Vakola Junction on Western Express Highway (WEH) and extending up to
Amar Mahal Junction near the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), the 6.45 km
six-lane road was thrown open to commuters last year. Reduced traffic
congestions at Amar Mahal Junction in Chembur, Vakola in Santacruz, parts
of Sion and Kurla in Eastern Suburbs, will increase the liveability quotient of
these areas and boost demand for commercial as well as residential real
estate. The overall development potential of areas near the access points of
SCLR in terms of residential, retail and commercial projects will also shoot
up, says Ramesh Nair, COO-Business, Jones Lang LaSalle India.
Multi-modal corridor to be developed
The executive committee of MMRDA also approved the detailed project
report for a multi-modal corridor from Navghar to Chirner, the first phase of
the ambitious Virar-Alibaug corridor. It agreed to appoint consultants to
conduct a techno-economic feasibility for the Thane-Kalyan-Bhiwandi region
to study its traffic.
According to UPS Madan, Commissioner, MMRDA, all the projects underline
the priority given to transport and communication as far as the city is

concerned. Connectivity will remain the center of all or any infrastructure

development, for, that is the need of the hour.
The executive committee gave its nod to appoint consultants to conduct
techno-economic feasibility study and detail project report for the sub region
of Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan including the regions traffic habits and demand
for public transport. The detail project report for the Navghar to Chirner
multi-modal corridor has also been approved as this corridor could become
the backbone of connectivity to Mumbai what with it connecting with NH-8,
Bhiwandi bye-pass, NH-3, NH-4, NH-4B, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, NH17 and
will develop growth centers at Virar, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Dombivli, Panvel and
Uran.

Source: CommonFloor.com
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