A crucial and ambitious freeway was inaugurated by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. The Eastern Freeway, 17 kms long, and signal-free, will drastically reduce travel time between South Mumbai – India’s most important financial district – and the Eastern Suburbs. What was earlier a one hour drive from Chembur to the city’s main train station, the Chhattrapati Shivaji Terminus or CST will now take about only 20 minutes. Dubbed as India’s second longest flyover, it will ease traffic congestion in Chembur, Sion and Dadar areas and will substantially reduce travel time from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Chembur.
A crucial and ambitious freeway was inaugurated by Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
The Eastern Freeway, 17 kms long, and signal-free, will drastically reduce travel time between South Mumbai – India’s most important financial district – and the Eastern Suburbs.
What was earlier a one hour drive from Chembur to the city’s main train station, the Chhattrapati Shivaji Terminus or CST will now take about only 20 minutes. Dubbed as India’s second longest flyover, it will ease traffic congestion in Chembur, Sion and Dadar areas and will substantially reduce travel time from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to Chembur.
Currently commuters use the Eastern Express Highway.
The freeway will also provide the much needed speedy connectivity from the Island city to the eastern suburbs all the way to Navi Mumbai, Panvel, Pune and Goa.
Starting Friday, commuters will be able to use the first phase (14 kms) of the freeway.
Construction of the freeway began in 2008. The project has cost the government 1250 crores.
There has been much controversy over the delay in opening the freeway for commuters. The state government reportedly waited for over 10 days for a central Congress leader to inaugurate it. But with no one available from New Delhi, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had done the honours.
The project throws statistics that will make Mumbai’s motorists happy. While the 9.29-km Eastern Freeway will be entirely elevated, the 4.3-km Anik-Panjarpol Link Road provides for a 550-meter long twin tunnel – first of its kind in urban setup of our country.
The balance 3.21 km, which includes a half km long twin tunnel will be in operation by December-end. The free way is built at a cost of Rs 850 crore.
The 13.59 kilometre-long Eastern Freeway, aimed at reducing travel time for cars between suburbs and South Mumbai, was today inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan here. The project, which has been in the making for five years, includes a 550-metre twin tunnel (the first such in urban India) and a 9.29 km elevated road which is the second longest in urban settlement anywhere in the country.
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