Hindustan Times 15.11.2010
BKC road plan in cold storageThe Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority’s (MMRDA) is now having doubts about its earlier plans to construct a road to enhance the connectivity of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) with the eastern suburbs. More than two years after the then chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh gave clearance for the six-lane road, estimated to cost Rs 150 crore, with a length of 1.25km, the project is yet to see the light of day.
In an attempt to improve connectivity to various parts of the city, the MMRDA had decided to construct a road from G-block of BKC which would be cutting through Sion-Chunabhatti before meeting at the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) near Somaiya College ground.
The MMRDA had planned that the new road, which would mostly be elevated, would go over the Mithi river till the Duncan Causeway Park in Sion. It would also cross over the Central Railway tracks on north of the Sion railway station and south of the Chunabhatti railway station on the Harbour line.
Deshmukh cleared the proposal in September 2008. In January 2009, the MMRDA had also scheduled a new development plan under the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act.
According to MMRDA officials, the road would clash with the proposed Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd metro line.
“We are already making the Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line which will cater to this stretch. We are now contemplating if this road needs to be built or not,” said Ratnakar Gaikwad, metropolitan commissioner.
The road could have been a great help to people coming from the suburbs such as Thane, Mulund as it would have given them direct access to areas like BKC and the western suburbs in the city. Since, 1951, Mumbai’s road length has increased from 777km to 1,930km in 2009.
