After much delay, the flyover extension project at Jogeshwari East on the Western Express Highway (WEH) will finally see the light of day; and the good news is that it will further be extended beyond the original plan. Now, instead of traffic from Jogeshwari West landing at Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) junction, the flyover will further be extended from Bandrekar Wadi to Mahakali Caves Road in Andheri East. The flyover project was delayed since the alignment and design of the Metro Railway project for that stretch was not decided.
Last week, officials from Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had a joint meeting which was called by Ravindra Waikar, Minister of State for Housing and Higher and Technical Education. "It was decided that the flyover which was delayed for several years will be extended to cater to the needs of those travelling to JVLR junction and further to Veravali-Mahakali Caves Road," said a civic official from Roads and Bridges department.
Presently, the existing flyover —Hindu hridaysamarat Balasaheb Thackeray Flyover — connects Jogeshwari West to Jogeshwari East and ends at Bandrekar Wadi. While this bridge helped in decongesting traffic on WEH, the traffic at JVLR is still in a mess. To address the issue of this traffic bottleneck, residents of the area had demanded that the same flyover should be extended from the junction of JVLR and WEH to Mahakali Caves. "So the flyover which lands at Bandrekar Wadi will be stretched to Veravali-Mahakali Caves Road. I have been pursuing this project since a long time and wanted to ensure that the work begins so that local residents get relief," said Waikar.
However, the alignment, designs and the height of the Metro Railway will remain as per the plan. "Our alignment is not changing. Metro line will run parallel to the existing flyover. The new flyover planned with extended landing will pass above the Metro railway line and the Western Express Highway," said Pravin Darade, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner - MMRDA.
Sharing details about the new plan, Waikar said that the 2.5 km long flyover will cost the BMC more than Rs 400 crore but will decongest traffic and the travel time will be reduced majorly. "I suggested that if the Metro Railway line and the existing flyover are running parallel, the new flyover can pass from above. The height of the new flyover will be increased so that there is no clash in design and alignment. In fact there are three stations planned in the vicinity of this flyover and citizens will benefit from the project. The extension work will start this year itself," said Waikar.
