BMC to Cancel Grant Road–Orange Gate Flyover Project Worth INR 1,329 Crore

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to cancel the proposed elevated flyover between Grant Road and Orange Gate. This decision comes as the alignment of the flyover overlaps with a tunnel project by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The MMRDA is building an underground tunnel. It will stretch from Marine Drive to Orange Gate. The tunnel will be 4.46 kilometres long and 9.6 metres wide. It will include two car lanes and one emergency lane.

The twin tunnels will be built around 40 metres below ground. The southern end of the tunnel will connect to Marine Drive near the coastal road. It will mostly run under Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road. Larsen and Toubro received the contract in 2023. The tunnel project is estimated to cost INR 6,717 crore. 

In a report by Indian Express, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani confirmed that the cancellation is under discussion. Talks are ongoing with the MMRDA and traffic police.

As per sources, the flyover would pass through a densely populated area. Land acquisition and relocation of affected people would be difficult. But this will not be the issue with the tunnel since it will be underground. It has also been claimed that building both the tunnel and the flyover would be unnecessary. 

The Orange Gate flyover was supposed to be 5.6 kilometres long. It would have connected Grant Road in south Mumbai with the Eastern Freeway near P D Mello Road. The design included a cable-stayed bridge that would act as a dispersal arm. 

The structure would have crossed westward about one kilometre before the freeway’s end. With the flyover, vehicles could drive across without stopping. Travel time would drop to five to seven minutes from the current 45 minutes.

The tenders were first floated in May 2023. The process lasted ten months. The work order for the flyover was given in March last year. J Kumar Infraprojects and RPS Infraprojects were awarded the contract as a joint venture. The total cost was INR 1,329 crore. Soil testing for the flyover started in November.