Monorail won't let flyover ease traffic

Phase II of Monorail construction on Dr Ambedkar Road takes away from commuters the respite that Lalbaug flyover will provide it's one construction after another

If you were counting on the flyover at Lalbaug, over Dr Ambedkar Road, to ease traffic on the road, you failed to take into account the Monorail construction underway on the same route.

Although not in full swing, the Monorail's digging work to plant the piers is enough cause of trouble for residents of the area, especially Parel and Lalbaug.


The ongoing Monorail construction at the Bharatmata cinema signal has caused a traffic bottleneck at Currey Road

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will soon start Phase II of the Monorail the Jacob Circle-Wadala line on the Ambedkar Road stretch from Currey Road station to Bharatmata Cinema, which coincides with the flyover's route, worsening the traffic.

An official working on the Monorail project said, "Due to the flyover work, traffic on Lalbaug-Parel stretch of Ambedkar Road moves at a snail's pace during peak hours.
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So we didn't start the Monorail work on the road from Bharatmata Cinema to Currey Road station. Once the flyover is completed, we will start the Monorail work in full swing."

But a resident who did not wish to be named said, "Already the digging work for the Monorail has started from Bharatmata Cinema to Currey Road station. During peak hours, this road is a nightmare."

Moreover, traffic nuisance for Lalbaug residents and commuters using Ambedkar Road to reach Currey Road and Parel stations will not be over even after the construction of the flyover and clearing of the mess it has left in its wake, because the Monorail bridge work will begin.
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That will take another 10-12 months, officials said.

Bhaskar Nirmale, a Currey Road resident, said, "The road is narrow and overcrowded. The Monorail construction and digging will make it worse for commuters."

'Will coordinate'
Although MMRDA Joint Project Director Dilip Kawatkar assured that "the traffic police will be taken in confidence when the actual Monorail work starts to ensure smooth flow of traffic", past experience will stand testimony to the fact that MMRDA seldom keeps to deadlines (see box).

In December last year, MiD DAY had reported that in March, motorists would be able to zip from Bycullla to Sion in 10 minutes if they took he flyover. But that, as is clear, didn't happen. At present, the crawling traffic on Ambedkar Road from Byculla to Sion takes anywhere between 45-90 minutes.

Officials speak
MMRDA Commissioner Rahul Asthana said, "I am aware of the inconvenience caused to motorists. So I have instructed officials to pace up work to finish the project before the monsoon."

He added, "The King Circle flyover will be completed today and the Lalbaug end will be completed by May."
Kawatkar said, "The reason behind the delay in flyover work is the shifting of utility lines at many places. A water pipe line passes below the road, so we had to be careful. Near Byculla, we shifted the water line completely."

Phase II route
The Phase II of the Monorail project will link the following locations starting at
Jacob Circle: front side of Arthur Road Jail - Chinchpokli Circle - N M Joshi Marg - toward Parel station - Currey Road ROB - Bharatmata Junction - over Lalbaug flyover - GD Ambedkar Marg - Wadala.

Seven flyovers open to the public
In order to relieve the city's traffic woes, MMRDA, in 2008 started constructing 10 flyovers at a cost of Rs 550 crore. Seven of these have been thrown open to the public.

These include the ones near Thakur Complex in Kandivli, Malad, Dindoshi and the domestic airport in the western suburbs, Navghar Junction, and two at Hindmata and Sion hospital in central Mumbai.

The King's Circle part of Lalbaug flyover has been partly made functional. The 1.56 km King's Circle-Tulpule Chowk part comes with a price tag of Rs 72 crore.
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The flyover is important because the road it is on, Dr Ambedakar Road, is an arterial road connecting Sion and Chembur to CST.

The remaining two flyovers are still under construction at Suman Nagar in the eastern suburbs and Barfiwala Lane in Andheri.

Also delayed
A classic example of project delays by the MMRDA is the flyover at Lalbaug, on the Lalbaug-King's Circle-Tulpule Chowk line. It has skipped its March deadline and is now hoping to complete it by May.
Earlier, the MMRDA had said that Milan Rail Over Bridge at Milan Subway in Santacruz will be open by July, 2011, but it later cited Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) issues for its delay by six months.

Rs 550 cr
The cost of the 10 flyovers the MMRDA started constructing in 2008

Rs 72 cr
The cost of the 1.56-km King's Circle-Tulpule Chowk