29 September,2026 10:37 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
File Photo
A major construction milestone has been reached on Mumbai's 13.9-km, six-lane Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension (EFE), with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) beginning the erection of precast segments over the Eastern Express Highway while traffic continued to operate below.
The first precast segment, weighing more than 90 tonnes, was launched at Pier P78 near Bhandup Pumping Station using a 115-metre-long mechanised Launching Gantry-01 (LG-01). The operation marks the project's transition from foundation and substructure construction to the erection of the elevated corridor's main superstructure.
The launch is significant as the elevated freeway is being constructed above an operational and heavily used highway. The mechanised gantry is designed to lift, move and position large precast segments while limiting the need for ground-level support and reducing disruption to traffic on the Eastern Express Highway.
The gantry underwent third-party testing before being deployed for the segment erection work.
Following the first launch, LG-01 will progressively erect 1,632 precast segments in the direction of Mumbai. These segments will be longitudinally post-tensioned to form complete bridge spans.
A second launching gantry, LG-02, will advance from Vikhroli towards Mumbai, while a Ground Support System (GSS) will undertake construction between Bhandup and Kanjurmarg in the direction of Thane.
The project uses a combination of large-diameter monopiles, single-pier construction and mechanised erection systems to reduce the construction footprint. The design includes 2,500-mm-diameter monopiles and a single-pier arrangement that eliminates the need for conventional pile caps.
The Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension will comprise 288 full spans, with each typical span measuring about 40 metres and consisting of 16 precast segments. The maximum segment weight is 106 tonnes, while the maximum weight of a complete span is around 1,450 tonnes.
The typical deck has a width of 25 metres at the top and 7 metres at the bottom.
According to the latest project progress figures, 81 per cent of monopile work and 19 per cent of group pile work have been completed. Pier construction stands at 51 per cent, while 33 per cent of pier caps have been completed. Of the planned 3,732 precast segments, 135 have been cast so far.
The use of mechanised launching equipment is intended to allow the elevated structure to be built while keeping the highway operational. This approach is particularly relevant along the Eastern Express Highway, where prolonged closures or extensive ground-level construction could affect traffic movement.
The EFE will connect Anand Nagar in Thane with Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar. The elevated corridor is planned as an additional high-capacity route between the two areas and is expected to provide an alternative to existing traffic movement along the Eastern Express Highway.
The project is also intended to improve connectivity between Thane and Mumbai and reduce pressure on one of the region's major north-south road corridors.
Once completed, the corridor is expected to reduce the travel time between South Mumbai and Thane to around 20-25 minutes, while also helping ease congestion on the Eastern Express Highway.
