Tansa cycle track a distant dream, but BMC proposes 70-km extension

While the construction of the proposed 36-km-long cycle track along the Tansa pipeline in Mumbai is moving at a snail’s pace, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

While the construction of the proposed 36-km-long cycle track along the Tansa pipeline in Mumbai is moving at a snail’s pace, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now planned extending the track by almost 70km, up to Modak Sagar dam in Thane district.

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The BMC will carry out construction work for the extension simultaneously and remove encroachments along the pipeline.

The newly-proposed extension of the cycle track will connect Mulund to Shahapur near Modak Sagar lake. A BMC official said, “The cycle track will connect BMC’s guest house located near Modak Sagar lake. The guest house is being made open for public in the coming days, and hence we will connect the cycle track with the guest house.”

The BMC had earlier this month announced its plan to open to public three of its guest houses located near dams; namely Tansa, Modak Sagar and Vihar lakes. This decision was taken to boost tourism and give a push to the local economy of villages around these dams.

Pravin Darade, Additional Municipal Commissioner, BMC said, “We plan to construct a cycling track, more than 100-km long, connecting Modak Sagar dam in Thane district. A consultant will be appointed in the coming days to ascertain the feasibility of the extension.”

The Bombay high court had asked the BMC to remove around 16,000 hutments, said to be encroachments, along the pipeline, and free up 10-metre space on either side of the pipeline. The BMC later decided to convert this space into a cycle track, thus preventing reclamation of the space by encroachments.The water pipeline spans across 10 administrative wards in the city.

Out of the earlier proposed 36-km stretch, about 5 km is complete currently, for which the construction started two years ago. Encroachment removal is one of the major reasons behind the project’s delay.

Meanwhile, on being asked about the status of the 36-km-long cycle track, a BMC official said, “Out of the 36 km, around 17 km is encroached. And while the remaining alignment is free of encroachments, it is available only in parts for the cycle track to be constructed.”