12 October,2016 08:36 AM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
Traffic between Sion and Chunabhatti to get affected once MMRDA starts construction of the Bandra-Kurla Complex-Chunabhatti connector
Two lanes on either side of the Eastern Express Highway in the Sion-Chunabhatti stretch will be closed for vehicles once work on the elevated connector begins. Pic/Suresh Karkera
Traffic and Mumbai always go hand in hand. And the situation worsens when authorities take up work of any sort. So, while Western Express Highway (WEH) commuters are already struggling with jams, as work on the Metro rail has begun, those using the busy Eastern Express Highway (EEH) are next.
With the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) set to begin work on the BKC-Chunabhatti elevated connector in less than two weeks, two lanes on either side of EEH near Chunabhatti would be closed, leaving only three lanes on either sides for motorists.
Bumper to bumper
MMRDA Chief Engineer Prakash Mamdapure said, "In the next two to three weeks, we expect to start the construction of the approaches to the BKC-Chunabhatti connector. We have already approached the traffic police with the plan. They will suggest diversions, and once the NOC is in place, we'll start the work."
"In order to avoid traffic-related issues on the stretch (Sion-Chunabhatti), which anyway sees numerous jams, vehicles will be diverted to the service roads on either side of the highway," he added.
Aside from the closure of two lanes on either side, 500 metres of the EEH near the Somaiya grounds would be barricaded as well. Authorities said they also plan to smoothen roads on either side of the highway before they start the work to minimise the chances of traffic jams as much as possible.
On the western side, work on the Dahisar-Andheri east and Dahisar-DN Nagar Metro is expected to hit the already crawling traffic on WEH and the New Link Road between Dahisar and Bandra.
Zip, zap, zoom
Once completed, the over Rs 200-crore elevated connector is expected to help motorists coming from eastern suburbs reach BKC faster. At present, motorists take more than 30 minutes to reach BKC from Chunabhatti, encountering traffic near Sion circle as well as on Sion-Dharavi Link Road. Once the connector is complete, motorists will be able to reach BKC from Chunabhatti in less than 10 minutes. The connector is also expected to provide seamless connectivity between the western and eastern suburbs.
It will start from G-Block in BKC, and after crossing Mithi river, LBS Marg, Central Railway tracks and NS Mankikar Road, or Duncan Causeway Road, leading to Chunabhatti station, it will cross Harbour line tracks, and pass through Somaiya Trust Ground to join the EEH.
The piling activity along with erection of pillars has started. With review meetings for the project development status being done at regular intervals, authorities said they have chalked out a time-bound plan to complete the various works.
