Controversial Peddar Road project to be narrower at Girgaum Chowpatty
Madhurima Nandy

THE PROPOSED design of the upcoming Peddar Road flyover is all set to
change.

After the initial plan was rejected by the Maharashtra Coastal Zone
Management Authority (MCZMA) recently, the controversial flyover from Haji
Ali to Wilson College will now have the same alignment as the existing
Peddar Road.

Top officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC)
said that the redesign is primarily concerned with the bend at which the
flyover turns on Chowpatty and the finishing point of the flyover on the
Chowpatty side.

"We had proposed a wider bend so that vehicles could move at a higher speed
but after preliminary investigations we are agreed that we could spare more
public space if the bend is narrow," said a top MSRDC official, speaking on
condition of anonymity.

A wider bend also meant using more space on both sides of the road, which
was not acceptable to the MCZMA as it involved constructing pillars at the
Girgaum Chowpatty area that would have intruded upon the beach area.
Senior MSRDC officials also explained that the idea of sticking to the
alignment of the existing road and simply building the flyover atop it would
mean not having to procure a further environment clearance.

However, the finishing point of the flyover on the Chowpatty side has not
yet been decided.

Consultants Ove Arup and CES are currently working on exactly where the
flyover should ideally culminate to minimise encroachment in the Chowpatty
area.

"We are finalising the plan," Minister for Public Works Department Anil
Deshmukh said.

Incidentally, the finishing point of the flyover has been continuously
raised as an issue by the Peddar Road Residents Association, which has
objected to the flyover ending on the Chowpatty seafront citing defacement
of the beach area.

Possibly the most-talked about flyover in the city, the Rs 135-crore project
had earned most attention after two famous Peddar Road residents, singers
Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle, raised their voice against the flyover.
madhurima.nandy@hindustantimes.com Road to nowhere 1999: MSRDC makes a
masterplan to build 55 flyovers. The Peddar Road flyover is part of the plan
to ease traffic congestion, with alternative being Tardeo Road.

2001-02: IIT-Bombay is asked to conduct a study on the flyover. The two
options are Tardeo Road and Peddar Road.

2002: MSRDC pro- poses to build flyover on Peddar Road because a flyover on
Tardeo Road would require demolition of structures. Peddar Road Residents
body, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle protest.

2005-06: IITBombay does another study on viability of Peddar Road flyover in
view of upcoming sealink project between Worli and Nariman Point to find out
if the flyover is necessary after the sealink comes up.

Mar 2006: MSRDC decides to go ahead with the Peddar Road flyover again,
despite residents' opposition.

Dec 2006: The flyover fails CRZ test. MSRDC decides to change the alignment
to make it more environmentfriendly.



URL :
http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=07_02_2007_003_007&typ=0&pub=264