Travel on Mumbai’s Eastern Express Highway just got smoother

The MMRDA will build three flyovers to unclog the highway.

Motorists can soon expect relief from traffic snarls on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) as the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is expected to start building three flyovers to decongest the Chheda Nagar junction at Ghatkopar.

Motorists can soon expect relief from traffic snarls on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). (HT FIle)

The Rs223-crore plan was sanctioned by the executive committee of the MMRDA on Saturday. Senior officials said work orders will soon be issued and the work is likely to begin from April. As per the plan, a 680-metre long flyover will be built, which will run parallel to the Chheda Nagar flyover in both directions.

The Chheda Nagar flyover is only south-bound. Another 1,240-metre flyover will be built, connecting Mankhurd to Thane. Motorists taking the Eastern Freeway can take this flyover to travel towards Thane. The third flyover will connect Chheda Nagar’s south-bound arm to the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR).

Currently, the junction at the mouth of the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road witnesses heavy traffic during peak hours owing to vehicles emerging from the Freeway, SCLR and the highway. The MMRDA will also construct a vehicular subway that will connect to Kannamwar Nagar.

The work for decongesting Chheda Nagar junction was supposed to begin from 2016. UPS Madan, metropolitan commissioner, MMRDA said, “The lowest bidder did not fulfil some conditions because of which we had to issue fresh tenders. Now the contractor has been finalised.” The work order will be issued to J Kumar Infra Projects Limited.

The construction will add to traffic snarls on the EEH as work at the Amar Mahal junction is on. The Metro-4 work which will start soon will congest the highway further.