The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved the issuance of work orders for the cable-stayed flyover between Madh and Versova this week. This comes six months after tenders were floated for the construction of the flyover.
Within six months, the cost of the project has risen by 60 per cent, The Indian Express reported. The tenders were put out in March 2024, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore. Construction firm APCO Infratech Private Limited emerged as the winning bidder at Rs 2,029 crore. Earlier this week, the civic administration approved a proposal to award the contract for Rs 3,246 crore.
Civic officials have said that the estimated cost of the project was updated after considering the changes in market rates. The final cost of the project also factored in various elements, including labor charges and material costs.
The project is expected to be completed within three years. In determining the final cost, officials accounted for factors such as the rent for casting yards, bridge maintenance for three years post-construction, and fluctuations in raw material prices, which contributed to an increase in the overall cost.
The 2.06 km long flyover will be a cable-stayed structure, spanning over Madh Creek to connect Madh Island in the western suburbs with Versova. At present, the two locations are linked only by a jetty, with no vehicular access available.
Currently, motorists commuting between these areas must use Link Road, S.V. Road, or the Western Express Highway, a journey that takes over 45 minutes during peak hours. Additionally, the jetty ferry service is suspended during the monsoon season. Once the flyover is completed, the travel time between these two locations will be reduced to just five minutes.