New flyover linking highway with Mumbai Airport takes shape

Mumbai: A new flyover with an innovative design is fast taking shape to link the Western Express Highway with the Mumbai Airport domestic Terminal 1, reduce travel time and ease traffic congestion in both directions, an official said here on Saturday.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) launched eight steel and PSC girders for the flyover, which have a total length of 74 metres, and completed the feat without using temporary supports on one of the busiest roads in the city and avoiding traffic snarls.

The MMRDA has incorporated an inverted T for the purpose, plus the flyover is designed with a shorter length and minimised height considering the Funnel Zone Criterial, giving numerous benefits like limited intrusion and enhanced aesthetics, besides complying with Indian Road Congress standards.

There are other advantages like reduced land footprint of the flyover and in turn limited land acquisition, huge cost savings and low impact on the environment, said MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee.

The 615 metre long and 8 metre wide flyover -- to be completed by December, starts from the Vile Parle bridge to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport T-1, with a two lane one-way for traffic directed towards Bandra from the International Terminal 2.

The peak hour traffic around the T-1 junction often exceeds more than 10,000 cars leading to major traffic congestion, but after the new flyover is completed, it will bring huge relief to passengers travelling to and from the airport, said Mukherjee.

Regular travellers have said that a drive from places like Borivali or Bandra to the airport takes at least an hour, and more during peak hours or monsoon, while negotiating the spots around Jogeshwari-Andheri and Vile Parle-Santacruz become a nightmarish experience.

The traffic decongestion will make the travel to and from the airport quicker, smoothen the vehicular flow from T-2 towards Bandra with capacity enhancement, reduce signal time and improve safety during rush hours.

"This flyover will be a gift to the passengers of domestic flights, as well as international tourists, as their commute to or from the airport will be substantially shortened. It will end the worries of travelers about rushing to the airport, mainly during peak hours," said Mukherjee.