Proposed elevated road over Khar Subway was rejected by BMC in 2018

Residents’ groups who have been opposing the proposed project accused the BMC of merely changing its name from a road over bridge to an elevated road

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) current plan of building an elevated road over Khar Subway was rejected by the civic body in 2018 owing to hindrances and a sharp 90-degree turn along the path. Residents’ groups in the area, who have been opposing the proposed project, accused the BMC of merely changing its name from a road over bridge (ROB) to an elevated road, and wondered if the civic body was deceiving citizens back then or now. BMC officials agreed the project was scrapped earlier as it was not feasible, but said it was being brought back due to urgent requirement of citizens.

Mumbai, India - June 09, 2022: Inside view of Khar subway during HT Monsoon Audit, in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, June 09, 2022. (Photo by Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times) (Pratik Chorge/HT PHOTO)

The Khar Subway is very narrow and gets waterlogged frequently. Though only light motor vehicles are permitted, traffic jams are common in the subway and along approach roads on either side. Owing to these reasons, residents of Santacruz and Khar have been demanding an alternative east-west connector over the railway tracks for years.

On May 10, 2016, local MLA Ashish Shelar visited the area and requested for an ROB over Khar Subway. The BMC’s bridges department subsequently appointed TPF Engineering Pvt Ltd as a consultant to study the feasibility of such a project.

The report submitted on July 31, 2018 stated that there were a lot of hindrances along the path of the proposed ROB, with permanent buildings and encroachments at Abdul Hakim Chowk, where it takes a sharp 90-degree left turn.

The report stated, “The sanctioned roadline (RL) of the road leading to subway is 27.45 metres. When the same was superimposed on general administration drawing, it was observed that a portion of existing structures including Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana are encroaching the alignment of the road. Also, on east side, there is sharp 90-degree left turn which is encroached by a number of permanent buildings and hutments. In the view of the above, it is not possible to move ahead for the ROB unless all the structures falling in the alignment are cleared following due process of law.” Based on this report, the BMC shelved plans of building an ROB over the subway.

The new project proposal prepared by BMC shows its alignment is largely similar to the one rejected in 2018 – it manoeuvres through narrow roads going past schools, hospitals, and gardens, and takes a sharp 90-degree left turn at Abdul Hakim Chowk.

On April 13, HT reported about Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF) and other residents’ groups in the area opposing BMC’s plans for an elevated road, saying the erection of pillars on narrow roads would cause further traffic snarls.

Advocate Trivankumar Karnani, founder of MNCDF, said, “The BMC’s own report in 2018 clearly mentioned that it isn’t feasible to construct the flyover over Khar Subway because there is a sharp 90-feet left turn at Abdul Hakim Chowk. They are clearly contradicting their own report now.”

In the new design too, there is a sharp 90-degree turn at the same spot, where there are buildings and encroachments that will hinder the placement of bridge pillars, the advocate noted. “Either the BMC was fooling us then or it is deceiving us now,” he alleged, adding, “They have merely changed the name of the project from ROB to elevated road.”

Residents alleged that the plan was adopted afresh to protect illegal encroachments in the Golibar area. They also expressed concern about the escalated cost of the project at ₹2,400 crore.

“The actual cost of the project for the contractor is ₹1,200 crore, but internal taxes bring the total amount to ₹2,400 crore,” said a civic official from BMC’s bridges department.

When asked about the 2018 report, on basis of which the BMC shelved plans of constructing an ROB over Khar Subway, he said, “We are aware that we had junked the project because it was not feasible due to its alignment and the 90-degree turn at Abdul Hakim Chowk. But now, we are doing it because there is an urgent need from citizens, who are demanding this flyover.”