Work on Thane’s second SATIS bridge has faced delays due to the monsoon and pending railway clearances. The project is expected to resume shortly, with completion targeted for December. As per reports, since the rain has subsided, construction will soon proceed.
The majority of the 2.4-kilometre elevated road is complete. However, the key section— a railway overbridge (ROB) linking the eastern and western parts of Thane—remains unfinished. Construction on the ROB was put on hold due to the complexities of working near live railway tracks during the rainy season.
Saurabh Rao, Thane’s Municipal Commissioner, had initially projected an August 2024 completion date for the second SATIS bridge during his site visit in May. However, the monsoon and challenges related to railway operations caused a setback.
The second SATIS project, which began in 2018, is aimed at reducing congestion in Thane East. It will also ease the load on the first SATIS bridge in Thane West, which has seen high traffic volumes.
The INR 270 crore project, part of the Thane Smart City plan, includes the construction of an elevated bus deck, skywalks, and foot overbridges. The flyover runs from Sinchan Bhawan to Tuljabhavani Temple, near the Kopri railway bridge, with a looping design that crosses over the railway.
As per sources, the primary cause of the delay was the railway department’s clearance. At least 15 uninterrupted days of work are required to complete the ROB, but securing time slots from railway authorities has been difficult. Despite this, the supervisor stated that only a small portion of work remains, and they can finish quickly once approval is granted.
A formal proposal for the necessary block to complete the ROB has not yet been submitted. Without a detailed proposal outlining the goals and timeline, the railway department cannot proceed with planning or grant the needed block.
The SATIS project is being undertaken as part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP), in collaboration with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), and is funded by the World Bank.