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The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will take charge of resurfacing three key flyovers at Vikhroli, Vakola and Aarey, under a project estimated at around INR 30-35 crore, with reimbursement to follow from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). The move follows directives from Shri Piyush Goyal and Shri Devendra Fadnavis aimed at easing traffic flow on the Western Express Highway. Tendering was scheduled this week and work is expected to begin in early December. The flyovers, though under MSRDC's jurisdiction, will now be handled by the civic body to speed up repairs.
The BMC has assumed responsibility for urgently resurfacing three major flyovers Vikhroli, Vakola and Aarey which are currently managed by the MSRDC. The estimated cost of the project is between INR 30 crore and INR 35 crore, initially funded by the BMC and later reimbursed by the MSRDC. The decision followed directives from Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal and Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis to improve traffic movement on the Western Express Highway. Advertisement
The BMC said that tendering will commence this week, and the resurfacing work is expected to start in early December. Although the flyovers fall under MSRDC jurisdiction, a meeting between the minister and the chief minister resulted in the agreement that BMC will carry out the resurfacing to expedite the process. The civic body has formally written to MSRDC requesting approval to proceed.
A senior BMC official stated that inspections revealed the three flyovers are in poor condition several stretches show potholes and uneven surfaces. Preliminary cost estimates indicate that the Vakola flyover will require about INR 10 crore for resurfacing, while the Vikhroli and Aarey flyovers will each cost between INR 10-12 crore. The repair work will involve milling the damaged surface, applying fresh asphalt layers, and checking and repairing drainage systems and expansion joints to prevent water-logging during rains.
Earlier, the responsibility for maintaining the Eastern and Western Express Highways within Mumbai city limits, including the flyovers, lay with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). However, following a 2022 state government order, maintenance within the city limits shifted to the BMC, while the MSRDC continued oversight of the flyovers.
Additional directions issued by Piyush Goyal at the broader meeting included deploying extra traffic?police personnel, restricting heavy vehicle movement during peak hours on the Western Express Highway, and cracking down on illegal use of municipal signage by lighter rigid vehicles and trucks. He also asked for joint action against mangrove encroachments and stepped-up work on sewage treatment along the Dahisar and Poisar rivers.
Abhijit Bangar, Additional Commissioner of the BMC, confirmed that the tendering process for all three flyovers is underway and that the full cost will be reimbursed by the MSRDC after completion, so the BMC's budget will not be permanently impacted.
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