New elevated road between Thane’s Anand Nagar and Saket to decongest traffic

MMRDA issues tender for 6.30-km elevated road in Thane to ease traffic congestion, part of infra push in CM Eknath Shinde's home turf.

Thane: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has issued a tender to execute a 6.30-km-long elevated road in Thane between Anand Nagar and Saket on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) to decongest the arterial roads within the city. “The proposed road costing ₹1,699 crore is expected to be finished in four years and will significantly smoothen traffic in the city,” said an official.

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Over the next few years, Thane is set to witness the completion of numerous big-ticket projects that have either been underway, stalled, or proposed. Thane, which is chief minister Eknath Shinde’s home turf, is witnessed various infrastructure endeavours since he assumed office. This is one of Shinde’s infra pushes which will have a significant impact on the citizens.

The Anand Nagar-Saket elevated road project was given a go-ahead in 2023 and an official said it will have six lanes. This will also optimise traffic flow from Samruddhi Mahamarg and Mumbai Nashik highway.

The Thane Municipal Corporation had applied for permissions and MMRDA will construct the road and this is part of the first coastal highway project in Thane.

The MMRDA is also constructing an elevated road from Ghatkopar to Thane along the Eastern Express Highway and will connect Thane with the Eastern Freeway.

The second coastal road of Thane is from Gaimukh to Balkum. The MMRDA will also concretise parts of Ghodbunder Road Kapurbawdi to Gaimukh at a cost of ₹395 crore.

In the last meeting of MMRDA, the executive committee approved a tunnel from Gaimukh to Fountain Hotel (the intersection that connects Thane district with Palghar district) and also an elevated road from Fountain Hotel to Bhayander. The MMRDA has called for consultants to design this and get environmental permission. These projects are to be constructed in five-and-a half years.

The traffic in Thane is expected to rise manifold in the coming years. Traffic in this belt will also increase after the Vadhavan port is functional when Mumbaikars with business interests will travel there. The Mumbai Vadodara expressway will take away heavy traffic and MMRDA officials said that the Thane Borivali twin tunnel and Mulund Goregaon tunnel will also ease East West connectivity.