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Hari Om Nagar residents to get a bridge over toll woes
Hari Om Nagar is a part of Mulund, but it is on the fringes and on the Thane side. Owing to its unique location, residents there must pay toll at the Mulund toll booth every time they drive to work or home. However, their woes are expected to end soon as the civic body is planning a bridge that will help the residents skip the toll booth
Mumbai: Hari Om Nagar is a part of Mulund, but it is on the fringes and on the Thane side. Owing to its unique location, residents there must pay toll at the Mulund toll booth every time they drive to work or home. However, their woes are expected to end soon as the civic body is planning a bridge that will help the residents skip the toll booth.
The bridges department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Tuesday issued a tender for construction of a bridge across the boundary nalla near MHADA bus depot in Mulund East which will join the proposed 18.30-metre-wide DP road that goes to Hari Om Nagar.
The 65-metre bridge will be constructed in eight months at a cost of ₹41.71 crore. The BMC has given a work order to a consultant on February 23 to get clearances from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) and a no objection certificate (NOC) from the forest department as the site is close to Thane Creek Wildlife Sanctuary that houses flamingos. The civic body expects the bridge to ease traffic on the Eastern Express Highway.
Mihir Kotecha, Mulund MLA, said, “I had raised the issue in the Assembly some time ago and I was told by the then government that they will look into the issue. I had also written a letter to chief minister Eknath Shinde when he was the PWD minister. This bridge will be a huge relief for residents of Hari Om Nagar. They have been paying toll despite being part of Mumbai. More than 8,000 residents will benefit from the bridge.’’
Residential buildings in Hari Om Nagar came up more than 15 years ago. However, till today the only access road to it was via Eastern Express Highway or anywhere in Mulund East.
P Velarasu, Additional BMC commissioner (projects), said, “It was chief minister’s idea to build the bridge and the DP road.’’
However, the BMC is also speculating that vehicles from other parts of Thane may use this road to avoid paying toll. “Probably a toll naka can come ahead of Hari Om Nagar. But that is for the state government to decide,’’ a senior BMC official said.
Meanwhile, Sahebrao Surwade, who is the chairman of Hari Om Nagar Apex body of 20 buildings, said, “We have been demanding a bridge for many years. But we feel that many others, who want to evade toll, can misuse this. We want Thane exit on the rear side of APJ Abdul Kalam Park.’’
Neha Chawla, a resident, said, “I led a women’s movement for the bridge. Since we have to access our house from the Thane side, autorickshaw owners refuse to ply, and we often have to pay extra. At times, we walk up to the main road for autos.’’
