Mumbai-Pune project in full swing

WORK ON the ambitious Mumbai-Pune Expressway, being constructed to alleviate the problems of the travelling public, is on in full swing. While two of six the sections comprising the expressway are already operational, the project, scheduled to be completed by January 2001 is, according to officials, ``progressing well on schedule.'' The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is in charge of project implementation and has the rights of collecting toll and revenue. The corporation has been simultaneously building of 50 flyovers within the city limits of Mumbai.

The toll for the Expressway (see table) will be revised after three years in March 2003. The total cost of the project is Rs 1,600 crores. The corporation had raised Rs 2,170 crore by way of bonds to fund both the expressway and the construction of flyovers. According to Mr. P.L. Bongirwar, joint managing director, around Rs. 950 crores has already been spent on the two projects.

``The toll rate for the expressway is linked to the wholesale price index (WPI). For the sake of convenience, the toll rates will be reviewed after three years. We will not start repayment for the first 8-10 years as the interest burden is more than the accruals,'' Mr. Bongirwar said.

Currently, there is a ban on heavy container traffic on the expressway. ``Usage has to still pick up but the response has been good. There are more cars using the expressway than we expected. In future, maybe in 2-3 years time, we are anticipating heavy container traffic because of the ports in Mumbai,'' he added.

The MSRDC has opened 17 flyovers in the last ten months. Last week, the 700 m flyover on the Sion-Panvel Highway, set up at a cost Rs 10.6 crores, was inaugurated.

Other projects under implementation are the ambitious 700 km long Mumbai-Nagpur highway upgradation (to National Highway standard) and the Worli-Bandra Sealink project (within Mumbai) with an outlay of Rs 650 crores. MSRDC also plans to construct five pedestrian subways at a cost of Rs 13 crores.

Ramnath Subbu

in Mumbai

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Business
Previous : Highway plans hit roadblock
Next     : A land-intensive scheme draws flak