With the inauguration of the Sahar Elevated Road in Mumbai, it's time to get-set-go from the Western Express Highway (WEH), a major north-south 8-10 lane arterial road in the city, to Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA).

Dressed with palm trees and shurbs on either sides, the Sahar Elevated Road, connecting the western express highway (WEH) to CSIA, is all set to escort India's Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with other ministries and guests today to Mumbai's Terminal 2 (T2) for its inauguration.

Facilitating easier and quicker access to the travelers proceeding to and from the CSIA, the elevated road, inaugurated yesterday, is 2.20 km long and 27.5 m wide providing three lanes each for up and down traffic. There are two lanes each joining the elevated road from southern and northern side, and three lanes from T2 to proceed towards the southern and northern side via WEH. "The project is 99 per cent completed, and just concretisation of an underpass, which is 100 m long, is remaining," says UPS Madan, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA.

The signal-free elevated road starts from WEH at Hanuman road junction, Vile Parle (East) and reaches directly to T2. Hence, a distance of about 4-5 km from WEH to the airport, which requires about 40-45 minutes, can now be met in 4-5 minutes.

The elevated portion (1,300 m) was completed as per the schedule. The construction of this many-faceted road faced a few impediments such as the construction had to be carried out only during restricted working hours owing to the close proximity of the construction site with the runway. After prevailing over all the hurdles and stumbling blocks, the Rs 400.77 crore Sahar Elevated Road will ease traffic congestion on the WEH and more importantly at the Andheri-Kurla Road Junction.

Major structural components
• An elevated road from WEH to the International Airport – 1,300 m
• Pedestrian and Vehicular underpass on WEH, Hanuman Road, Vile Parle – 45 m and MIAL underpass on Justice   MC Chhagla Road – 48 m
• Vehicular underpass below WEH – A fully underground vehicular 98.5 m long underpass with 262 m ramps on   either side of WEH to cater to the traffic coming from the southern side of the WEH bound for the international   airport.

Major structural components
• The construction of this JNNURM funded elevated road is based on the segmental type with longitudinal  pre-stressing.
• The bridge deck of 27.5 m width consist of central spine segment having 9 m width and cantilever segments of 9 m   each on either side with transverse pre-stressing technology – rare in India.
• The complete bridge deck of 27.5 m is supported on a single pier – rare in world.
• Will reach motorists from WEH to CSI Airport within 4-5 minutes.
• The Palm trees and shrubs on either side of the road will afford a pleasing driving experience in this concretised  city.

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