BMC Drops Rs 13.29 Bn Elevated Road Plan Due to MMRDA Tunnel Clash

02 Jul 2025 CW Team

The elevated corridor was originally proposed to reduce congestion at the western end of the 17-km Eastern Freeway and to shorten travel time between South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs. Travel from the Freeway to South Mumbai's western parts currently takes up to 50 minutes, and the proposed flyover aimed to reduce this to around 5–7 minutes.

The BMC had awarded the contract for the elevated road to a joint venture between J Kumar Infraprojects and RPS Infraprojects in March last year, with soil testing conducted in November. However, the project has now been shelved due to overlapping alignment with MMRDA’s tunnel, which is being constructed at a depth of 40 metres. The tunnel will include two vehicular lanes and an emergency lane and is being built by Larsen & Toubro at a cost of Rs 70 billion. Initial works such as tunneling, land acquisition, and piling have already commenced.

The elevated road was also expected to pass through highly congested localities such as Sandhurst Road, Masjid Bunder, and Grant Road, potentially causing significant public inconvenience during construction. Land acquisition and relocation challenges were also considered major hurdles. In contrast, the underground tunnel avoids these surface-level disruptions.

After consultations with MMRDA and traffic authorities, the BMC concluded that the elevated corridor would be redundant given the similar route of the ongoing tunnel project. Although the cancellation has been decided, the BMC has yet to complete the formal termination process due to unresolved legal matters, as the contract had already been awarded and preliminary work had started.

News source: Free Press Journal

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to cancel its Rs 13.29-billion plan to construct a 5.6-km elevated road corridor from Orange Gate on the Eastern Freeway to Grant Road in South Mumbai. The decision was taken due to an alignment conflict with a 6.52-km underground twin tunnel currently being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) between Orange Gate and Marine Drive.The elevated corridor was originally proposed to reduce congestion at the western end of the 17-km Eastern Freeway and to shorten travel time between South Mumbai and the eastern suburbs. Travel from the Freeway to South Mumbai's western parts currently takes up to 50 minutes, and the proposed flyover aimed to reduce this to around 5–7 minutes.The BMC had awarded the contract for the elevated road to a joint venture between J Kumar Infraprojects and RPS Infraprojects in March last year, with soil testing conducted in November. However, the project has now been shelved due to overlapping alignment with MMRDA’s tunnel, which is being constructed at a depth of 40 metres. The tunnel will include two vehicular lanes and an emergency lane and is being built by Larsen & Toubro at a cost of Rs 70 billion. Initial works such as tunneling, land acquisition, and piling have already commenced.The elevated road was also expected to pass through highly congested localities such as Sandhurst Road, Masjid Bunder, and Grant Road, potentially causing significant public inconvenience during construction. Land acquisition and relocation challenges were also considered major hurdles. In contrast, the underground tunnel avoids these surface-level disruptions.After consultations with MMRDA and traffic authorities, the BMC concluded that the elevated corridor would be redundant given the similar route of the ongoing tunnel project. Although the cancellation has been decided, the BMC has yet to complete the formal termination process due to unresolved legal matters, as the contract had already been awarded and preliminary work had started.News source: Free Press Journal

Infrastructure Urban

13 Oct 2025

Daikin Boosts Haryana’s Innovation Push with Rs 10 billion R&D Plan

Japanese multinational Daikin Industries has committed an investment of Rs 10 billion to set up a new research and development centre in Haryana. The proposed facility will focus on advanced technologies and sustainable industrial solutions, marking a significant boost to the state’s innovation and industrial ecosystem. The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Osaka, Japan, during a visit by a Haryana government delegation held from October 6 to 8. The MoU was signed by Amit Kumar Agrawal, Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, ..

Building Material

13 Oct 2025

Lloyds Metals to Build Rs 250 billion Steel Plant in Gadchiroli

Lloyds Metals & Energy Limited (LMEL) has announced an investment of Rs 250 billion aimed at transforming Gadchiroli in Maharashtra from a region once associated with the red corridor into a key industrial and growth hub. The company’s plans are centred on establishing an integrated steel production ecosystem, which will contribute significantly to regional development and employment. As part of its expansion strategy, LMEL is setting up a 4.5-million-tonne blast furnace in Gadchiroli, scheduled for completion by 2027–28, along with another 1.2-million-tonne facility in Chandrapur by 2029..

Infrastructure Urban

13 Oct 2025

UPI Crosses 500 Million Users, Fuels MSME and Digital Growth

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has achieved a new milestone, surpassing 500 million consumers and 65 million merchants across India. The platform, developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has expanded its reach to nearly 99 percent of the country’s pin codes, underlining its deep penetration into both urban and rural markets. According to a report by NPCI and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) launched during the Global Fintech Fest 2025, UPI has evolved from being a digital payments mechanism into a key enabler of financial inclusion and small business growth. I..