Mumbai: 90-foot road in Chandivli cleared in March, stuck due to slums

Delay in removal of hutments has stalled work. Pic/Satej Shinde

The long-awaited 90-foot-wide road connecting Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) to Chandivli Farm Road remains a distant dream.

Although the construction of the 600-metre stretch, estimated to cost Rs 27.78 crore, was approved in March 2024, work has yet to commence due to delays in handing over the required plots and clearing slums.

After years of advocacy by Chandivli residents, the BMC finally approved the proposal, which was originally included in the 1991 Development Plan. mid-day has been consistently following up on the issue. According to BMC records, eviction notices were issued to hutments in August 2024 by the L Ward office. Meanwhile, parts of the land are held by a private builder and the Shipping Corporation of India.

"The proposed 90-foot DP road, connecting JVLR to Chandivli Farm Road, will be a game-changer for reducing traffic in the area," said Mandeep Singh Makkar, founder of the Chandivli Citizens Welfare Association.

The association organised protests in February 2023 and a hunger strike in August 2023, leading the BMC to float a tender for the road construction.

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission also intervened, issuing an order to the BMC to expedite the project. However, construction has yet to begin.

"We demand that the BMC complete the 90-foot DP road without further delay," Makkar added.

The project affects around 117 huts located next to the Powai police station on DP Road No. 9.

Abhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner, told mid-day, "Part of the required land is owned by a private builder who has agreed to hand it over.

We are awaiting remarks from the Development Plan department.

Another portion belongs to the Shipping Corporation of India, which will also transfer it to the BMC. The L Ward office will handle the removal of hutments. We plan to start construction on the builder's plot first and finalise the handover of the Shipping Corporation land simultaneously."

Another Chandivli resident, M N Karkera, said, "Road No. 9 is very narrow, causing constant traffic congestion. If the BMC completes the new road, it will significantly reduce our commute time."

According to the BMC's plan, the proposed road will start at the JVLR junction and connect to the Jain Mandir Road junction, with plans to eventually link it to Andheri.

Rs 27.78 CR
Estimated cost of the project