West Asia conflict may hit Mum-Pune missing link project opening date

Efforts to procure bitumen over the past fortnight had been challenging even as prices had shot up 50%, MSRDC officials said

Mumbai: The conflict in west Asia has cast a shadow over the May 1 inauguration of the missing link project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as the supply of bitumen, necessary for layering the project’s two cable-stayed bridges, has been hit, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

The two cable-stayed bridges were connected in mid-March, officials said

“The tunnels (that are part of the project) were laid with bitumen a few months ago once the structures were ready. But construction of the cable-stayed bridges was completed only recently, and laying bitumen is pending,” a senior official from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the project proponent, told Hindustan Times.

Efforts to procure bitumen over the past fortnight had proved challenging even as prices had shot up 50%, MSRDC officials said, citing the disruption in bitumen imports from countries like Iraq, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait that have been impacted by the ongoing war.

“Supply of light diesel oil, for machines engaged in asphalt and tarring works, has also been impacted due to the conflict,” the official quoted earlier said. “Given the circumstances, the inauguration may have to be postponed.”

Another MSRDC official, however, said that they were still optimistic about meeting the May 1 deadline. “Contractors have been directed to complete all work by April 25, and load testing is likely to finish by April 30,” the official said.

While India imports nearly half its requirement for bitumen, the rise in global crude oil prices due to the west Asia conflict has a cascading effect on bitumen and light diesel oil prices.

The missing link project, first mooted in 1995, carves out an alternate route for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway between Khopoli and Kusgaon, as the existing route snakes through the ghats, is accident-prone and often gets choked with traffic. The 13.3-km route includes two tunnels measuring 8.87 km and 1.68 km, while each of the two cable-stayed bridges are 650 metres.

In August 2018, Letters of Acceptance were issued to Navayuga Engineering and Afcons Infrastructure for two packages comprising the project. Just as work was taking off on ground, the pandemic arrived, bringing things to a standstill for months on end.

MSRDC officials said construction of the two tunnels and surface-level roads was completed a few months ago, after which they were laid with bitumen. The two cable-stayed bridges were connected in mid-March, after which efforts were initiated to procure the necessary bitumen and other materials, the officials said.

“Not only has it become difficult to procure bitumen, the price has also shot up by more than 50%. Light diesel oil is also in short supply,” one of the MSRDC officials quoted earlier said. The concerned contractor, Afcons Infrastructure, was sourcing required materials at higher cost to ensure work was not paused, the official added.

Currently, lamp posts are being installed along the route and the main structure is being painted, officials said.