After hunger strike by Chandivali residents, BMC floats ₹28-cr tender to build 90ft road

HT was the first to report on residents’ demand for the road on January 29. Once built, the road is expected to prove to be a big relief for Chandivali residents, who have to grapple daily with terrible traffic situations and spend nearly 30 to 45 minutes reaching JVLR. The 90-feet road will drastically reduce this time.

Mumbai: A day after the residents of Chandivali sat on a hunger strike demanding the construction of a 90-feet road connecting Chandivali to Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) floated a tender to build the same.

Mumbai, India - Aug 20, 2023 : Chandivali residents were sitting on a hunger strike for their civic issues at MHADA Colony road, Chandivali, in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Aug 20, 2023. (Photo by Vijay Bate/HT Photo)

As per the tender floated by deputy chief engineer, roads, eastern suburbs, the road will be built at a cost of ₹27.78 crore by the civic body’s central roads agency. The 700-meter-long road is proposed to be 90-feet wide.

HT was the first to report on residents’ demand for the road on January 29. Once built, the road is expected to prove to be a big relief for Chandivali residents, who have to grapple daily with terrible traffic situations and spend nearly 30 to 45 minutes reaching JVLR. The 90-feet road will drastically reduce this time.

The proposed 90-feet road in the BMC’s Development Plan connects Andheri to Chandivali Farm Road and further to JVLR.

Currently, the fastest way for the residents to reach JVLR from Chandivali is via DP Road Number 9, which is a two-lane road that’s in terrible shape in addition to being heavily encroached on both the sides.

This road is an important connector between Chandivali and Powai and other eastern suburbs. The current tender floated by the BMC is for the road between Chandivali Farm Road to JVLR.

Although the BMC marked a 12-month deadline (excluding monsoons) for the completion of the road, a note in the tender states, “Please note that the said proposed 90 ft road land/plot portion handing over procedure from M/s. Nahar Developers and Shipping Corporation of India to BMC is in progress, hence it may take time.”

The BMC in the past had said that the work on the road can start only after the land from Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) is acquired.

Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder member of Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA), who led the hunger strike on Sunday, said, “I am very happy that the BMC has finally floated a tender for the construction of the road. This is a big win for the citizens. The road, once built, will be a huge relief to the residents of Chandivali.”

He added, “We hope that the BMC now speeds up the 90-feet road work and hands over the road to the people. This will solve a major traffic problem in the area.”

Ulhas Mahale, deputy commissioner, infrastructure said, “The road under the SCI has to be acquired by the BMC’s Development Plan department. Once that is handed over to the ward, we will come into the picture to build the road.”