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Four lanes of Rajnouli flyover will be ready by April, says MMRDA
The work on Rajnouli road overbridge inched ahead with the girders being installed on Friday night.
The work on Rajnouli road overbridge inched ahead with the girders being installed on Friday night.
The remaining four lanes of the bridge at Rajnouli junction on Mumbai-Nashik highway aim to ease traffic congestion.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials claimed that it will complete building the four lanes by April.
“The three sets of two girders were launched successfully on Friday night while the traffic movement at Rajnouli junction was stopped during the work. We will construct the remaining four lanes of the bridge by April-end and open them for commuters,” said an MMRDA official, who did not wish to be named.
“After the bridge is completed, 50% of the vehicles will be diverted from the junction,” said the official.
The first four lanes of the bridge were thrown open for motorists in November 2019. Authorities had to speed up the work after several complaints of congestion on Rajnouli junction. The remaining for lanes are left to be completed.
The junction has roads connecting Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Thane.
Before the bridge was built, all vehicles going towards Thane, Kalyan-Bhiwandi, Mumbai and Nashik used to take the bypass road.
The need for a road overbridge was raised in 2012-2013 after motorists complained of heavy congestion at the junction as heavy vehicles such as trucks, tempos and cargos too ply on it.
“I remember taking the bypass road seven years ago. It was a nightmare. All vehicles used to get stuck at the junction which is the intersecting points of all the four major roads,” said Suraj Mahadik, 38, a commuter who takes the bypass road to go to Thane for work.
“After the four lanes opened, most of the vehicles going towards Mumbai and Nashik take the bridge. This has eased congestion to a great extent,” added Mahadik.
The MMRDA is building the bridge at a cost of ₹116 crore.
Proposed in 2013, Rajnouli bridge was supposed to be completed within four years. But, it took almost seven years to complete the first four lanes.
The 666-metre-long bridge will ease congestion on the Nashik-Mumbai route. Motorists will save around 20 to 25 minutes.
The Rajnouli chowk, known as Kalyan phata, is a congested junction, especially during evening peak hours.
“Heavy vehicles on the stretch add to the traffic problem. After the bridge is fully functional, heavy vehicles going to Nashik or Mumbai will ply on the bridge,” said a traffic police on duty, who did not wish to be named.
Four roads merge at Rajnouli junction —Kalyan road, Bhiwandi road, Thane- Mumbai road and Nashik road.
Around 1.5 lakh vehicles cross the junction daily, congesting the area during peak hours.
