Santacruz Chembur Link Road Project: BMC To Acquire Defence Land Worth INR 11 Cr For Expansion

Now, it has come to light that the Vakola Nullah bridge's expansion from its present two lanes to four lanes will be fast-tracked.

This development comes as of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has agreed to pay the Ministry of Defence (MoD) an amount of INR 11 crore in exchange for the land required for the project.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which is carrying out the project, has reportedly received word from the civic that the payout procedure has already begun. It is now anticipated by officials that Phase 1 of the project would be completed by September.

Costs related to land compensation had long been a point of contention between the civic body and the MoD. While the BMC estimated a far lesser cost using the ready reckoner rate, the MoD had first calculated the compensation at INR 27 crore. For a number of years, negotiations have been going on.

An estimated INR 415 crore was spent on building the 3.8 km elevated Santacruz Chembur Link Road extension. The project has encountered difficulties even though the work started in 2016 with a 2019 deadline.

Concerning the remaining compensation, the source clarified that the municipal corporation had asked the MoD to approve its request to begin construction in exchange for payment of INR 11 crore, and that the remaining sum in dispute would be resolved after a final agreement was reached.

The civil construction is sequential and contingent on the completion of particular project sections, according to officials, thus the second phase can only start when Phase 1 is finished.

The Kapadia Nagar Junction (shortly after LBS Road) to the Western Express Highway close to the Vakola junction is the span of the Santacruz Chembur Link Road extension bridge. Key locations that connect Kurla to the Vakola bridge elevated road are included in Phase 1, including Vakola Junction, Ambedkar Chowk, University Junction, and BKC Junction. The second phase will go from Vakola Junction to Bharat Diamond Bourse Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).