In an attempt to eliminate traffic congestion, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning a new project, ‘Access Road’, which includes building an array of underground tunnels and roads to separate traffic in two levels at nine key junctions of the Western Express Highway (WEH) and the Eastern Express Highway (EEH). The project will be built at an estimated cost of Rs 2,900 crore.
Quoting senior civic officials, an Indian Express report said the project is aimed to apply “grade separation” mechanism at heavily congested junctions of the WEH and the EEH. This will be done by introducing underground lanes which will eventually lessen the wait time at traffic signals.
For the project, the civic body will construct underground tunnels, subways and horizontal roads similar to an underpass, officials stated.
In the first phase of the project, works at nine simple junctions have been taken up. Out of these, three are situated on the Western Expressway including ones near Parle Hanuman Road, Sudhir Phadke Flyover and Milan Subway and six on the Eastern Expressway, which include Airoli Junction, JVLR Powai junction, Ghatkopar junction, Chheda Nagar junction as well as U-turn junctions at Kanjurmarg and BKC Connector Extension.
Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) P Velrasu told The Indian Express, “ To prevent vehicle pile-up at such intersections, we have identified nine junctions on the WEH and the EEH where we will separate traffic into two levels via a cut-and-cover tunnel or an underground loop. It will ensure that the traffic doesn’t intersect and enable a continuous flow of vehicles. Once underground, the vehicles will also be crossing the lanes, below the road.”
“At the simple junctions, we will either have a cut-and-cover tunnel one level below or a loop which will allow the commuter to take a U–turn on an underground level. It will come up on the other side and merge with the other road. People won’t have to wait at the traffic signals,” he added.
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