Despite outrage over October’s Lower Parel flyover accident, three-lane Ghatkopar bridge opened to public without dividers
Plastic barricades put up on the flyover as dividers, seen in a grab taken from motorists’ videos on Twitter
In some good news for motorists getting stuck in traffic on the Eastern Express Highway ahead of Chedda Nagar, the MMRDA has thrown open the three-lane Ghatkopar flyover for traffic from Monday. Two of the lanes will be for the southbound traffic and one lane will be for northbound traffic. But currently the lanes have plastic barricades put up as dividers.
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Former MMRDA commissioner RA Rajeev had indirectly criticised the authority for not throwing the flyover open despite the fact that it was ready. On March 13, Rajeev had tweeted pictures of the new flyover and traffic on Eastern Express Highway, “On Eastern Express Highway, the completed flyover is waiting for auspicious time for inauguration! Till that time the traffic snarl will continue!!”
The Chedda Nagar junction where the flyover has come up, is one of the most important ones in the city. Pic/MMRDA
Late Sunday night Guardian Minister of Mumbai Suburbs Aaditya Thackeray and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde visited the flyover and its opening was announced. Tweeting about the same, Thackeray said, “Minister @mieknathshinde ji and I visited Chedda Nagar flyover extension work and the new flyover at Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar. On quick removal of construction clutter and assured of its readiness for use, we’ve asked @MMRDAOfficial to allow vehicular passage on it.”
Tweeting further about the underpass, Thackeray wrote, “The @MMRDAOfficial has ensured its speedy opening and assured us of smooth passage, while on our visit, we hope to work on the underpass completion soon and the expansion of the flyover to 5+5 lanes. I’m thankful to MMRDA commissioner for responding to my humble request today.”
Formal inauguration soon
Thackeray also said that while the flyover will be opened for vehicular traffic from Monday, so as to avoid any additional moment of traffic build up on the road, a formal inauguration with all relevant stakeholders, elected representatives, etc. will be held nearby soon, there will be no delay for the use of the flyover.
The Chheda Nagar junction is one of the most important junctions on the EEH. Traffic jams during the morning and evening peak hours have been a major issue here and in order to solve this problem, MMRDA decided to construct a flyover. The MMRDA has undertaken the project of Chheda Nagar junction traffic improvement, the estimated cost of which is Rs 249 crore. The scope includes construction of three flyovers and one vehicular subway. The newly-opened three-lane Ghatkopar flyover (Chheda Nagar flyover to SCLR) is part of the project. With the opening of the flyover, motorists will get some relief.
Official speaks
In October 2021, two youths had died near Senapati Bapat Marg in Lower Parel when a car took a sudden U-turn and hit their bike. The NM Joshi police had then demanded a divider on the bridge as it would avoid such incidents in future. Asked why a new flyover was being thrown open without dividers for north-south carriageways, Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas said plastic barriers have been put up. He said, “The three lane flyover (Mumbai — Thane direction flyover) which is 680 m long and 12 m wide with three lanes, has been thrown open. Two lanes will be open for Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) going south bound and one lane will be open for LMV going north bound. In order to prevent any accidents plastic barriers have been placed on the flyover.”
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