By Apurva Bhatt
The 17-km Eastern Freeway which has proved to be a major time saver for those travelling to Mumbai city will be extended up to the Mint Road junction in South Mumbai.
The Freeway currently ends at Orange Gate on P D'Mello Road. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority plans to build a 1.5-km extension by way of a new flyover right up to Mint Road. A senior MMRDA official said, "It will help reduce congestion on chock-a-block P D'Mello Road, which narrows down near Orange Gate due to the north-bound ramps of the Freeway."
The plan to extend the Freeway was mooted by the Mumbai Port Trust, which agreed to relocate encroachments, if any. He said, "We have told the Freeway consultants to examine the proposal, including cost and number of lanes possible."
The extension may be two- or four-lane depending on space availability. A two-lane flyover may cost Rs 40 crore, while the four-lane one may be double that. The Freeway was originally planned from Prince of Wales Museum but the plan was aborted to due to lack of space.
The first stretch from Orange Gate to Anik (9.29 km) was built as an elevated corridor, and then till Shivaji Chowk in Chembur (4.3 km) at ground level. The third and final Panjrapol-Ghatkopar leg is at a height of 22 metres, making it the tallest bridge point in Mumbai.
