"Mumbai's Sewri-Worli Connector Reaches 50% Completion with 85 Out of 179 Pillars Erected"

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has reached a significant milestone in the construction of the Sewri-Worli connector, with 50% of the project now completed. This vital connector will link the Bandra-Worli Sea Link (BWSL) in the west with the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link Road in the east.

The flyover, constructed at a height of 27 meters, is designed to criss-cross above the Eastern Freeway and a flyover on Dr. B. A. Ambedkar Road. An official from MMRDA reported, "Fifty percent of the work on the project has been completed, with a total of 85 pillars erected out of the planned 179."

This corridor will traverse the railway tracks on the Harbour line at Sewri and the main lines of the Western Railway (WR) and Central Railway (CR) at Prabhadevi and Parel stations, respectively.

In regard to the Sewri portion, the official stated, "Work for the Sewri ROB (road over bridge) is entrusted to Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (MRIDCL). Out of the three piers planned, one has been completed. Piling work is finished, and procurement is underway for steel girders."

Work on the Elphinstone ROB at Parel-Prabhadevi is yet to commence due to the non-availability of land, as 19 buildings obstruct the alignment. The BMC plans to provide in-situ rehabilitation to tenants of these buildings at Shirodkar Mandai. The project-affected people (PAPs) of these 19 buildings are seeking 400-square-foot flats as compensation.

The bridge will feature a double-decker design, akin to the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) or the flyover above the tracks at Prabhadevi.

It is projected that 15% of the traffic on the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) will utilize this proposed corridor, potentially reducing travel time between the east and west coasts from the current 40 to 60 minutes to just 10 minutes.

Initially, MMRDA considered an underground stretch beneath the Parel-Prabhadevi tracks due to the perceived challenges in gaining design approvals from the railways for an elevated structure. However, the underground plan was found to be technically unfeasible and cost-prohibitive.

This 4.5 km-long flyover will have 2+2 lanes and is expected to be operational by December 2025. MMRDA undertook various measures such as straightening the Textile Mill nallah at Kamgar Nagar in Worli and the rehabilitation of slums to create space for erecting bridge pillars.

ET