Transport plan gets a push

Plans are afoot to expand the existing 90-km stretch of the 140-km multi-modal corridor between Alibaug and Virar, reports Zeeshan Shaikh.

Plans are afoot to expand the existing 90-km stretch of the 140-km multi-modal corridor between Alibaug and Virar.

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This is what the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has promised the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is building the corridor.

“We had talks with NHAI officials who said they will help us by expanding nearly 90 km of road on this stretch,” Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said.

The MMRDA as part of its plans to improve connectivity in the region has planned to build a multi-modal transport corridor, which will connect Virar and Alibaug running thorough Thane, Kalyan, Bhiwandi and Panvel.

A multi-modal corridor is a high-speed transport corridor, which brings roads, metro line, bus and pedestrian infrastructure close to each other.

Once completed it would mean that people heading to Alibaug could sit in an air-conditioned Metro car from Virar and reach in 75 minutes instead of (approximately) two hours.

As per MMRDA’s plans, the corridor will be 99 m wide and will have a Metro corridor, eight lanes for Bus Rapid Transit System and vehicular traffic, four-lane service roads, two-wheeler lane, parking lanes and pedestrian walkways.

The cost of the project is pegged at Rs 10,000 crore and MMRDA is seeking private investment to help run this corridor.

It has already shortlisted six consultants to undertake a techno-economic and financial feasibility study of this project.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan who had recently evaluated this project had asked MMRDA officials to work towards

completing these projects by 2013. Gaikwad said these corridors were planned taking into account the expected traffic in this region by 2031.