Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover to be thrown open soon

Workers on the job at the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road flyover. File pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

In some good news for Mumbaikars, the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road (GMLR) flyover will be completed by July 25. The 2.90 km flyover is a crucial link to connect Navi Mumbai and Pune to Mumbai and vehicles will not have to face traffic jams at various locations like Shivaji Nagar junction, Bainganwadi and Deonar dumping ground.

The construction of the flyover started in 2017 with an initial cost of Rs 576 crore and it was expected to be completed by January 2019.

As per the basic plan, the flyover was 2.1 km long. But there were two cost escalations of Rs 56 crore and Rs 82 crore. The cost was increased by R56 crore to meet the new codes set by the Indian Road Congress (ICR). The Rs 82 crore escalation was due to extension work. The standing committee approved the revised Rs 714 crore last February with the plan of increasing the length.

"According to the old plan, after descending the flyover, vehicles would have to climb up the elevated subway passage on Mohite Patil Nagar junction and again come down at Mankhurd junction. This could have resulted in traffic congestion. As per the revised plan, the flyover will be joined to the subway elevation. This extension work added another Rs 82 crore," said an official from the Bridges Department.

Also read: BMC decides to name Mumbai flyover after Chhatrapati Shivaji, post political uproar

Now the work of the flyover is almost complete except for some minor works like asphalting and painting of some stretches. Satish Thosar, chief engineer (in-charge) of the Bridges Department said, "Almost 98-99 per cent work of the bridge is completed. We are trying to complete it by July 25. The current rain may delay some work. But the flyover will be ready before the end of this month."

The flyover ran into controversy recently after the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party proposed different names for it.

While Manoj Kotak, BJP MP proposed the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Rahul Shewale, Sena MP proposed the name of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti. But now, Swapnil Tembwalkar, chairman of the works committee, has approved the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for the flyover.

Rs 714 crore
Cost of construction of the flyover