01 February,2024 02:13 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
These projects are expected to reduce the traffic congestion. Pic/Satej Shinde
Ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for October this year, the Eknath Shinde government is eyeing the launch of three mega projects worth Rs 22,000 crore by the BMC. The state government wants the projects launched before the polls. After the Nariman Point-Worli Coastal Road, the Dahisar-Mira Road connector, the Versova-Dahisar connector and the Grant Road-Orange Gate elevated road are big ticket projects.
A civic official said that the contractor for the Dahisar-Mira Road connector has been finalised. "We need to take no-objection certificates from various government departments like environment, salt pan commissioner and others," the official said.
"The scrutiny of bids for the Versova-Dahisar project is currently underway. Post that, the process for the administration's approval will begin and then the issuing of contracts will start," the official added.
"Since this project is passing through mangroves, there is a need to get permission from the environment ministry and other government departments. This process will take at least six months," the official said.
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Last week, the BMC invited a tender for a 5.6-kilometre-long elevated road between Grant Road East and Orange Gate (at the southern end of the Eastern Freeway). "The tender process for the elevated road has just started," the official said.
The Versova-Dahisar Link Road and the Dahisar-Mira Road connector are part of the western high-speed corridor, which aims to reduce traffic from the Mumbai Ahmedabad highway and the Western Express Highway. The Grant Road-Orange Gate elevated road will give signal - free travel from Eastern Freeway to the western part of the city.
"These projects will reduce traffic congestion. We are trying to start all these projects this year. We are working on this," said another BMC official.
Sources in the Shinde-led Shiv Sena also confirmed that the state government is interested in launching these mega projects on a war footing.
