Mumbai’s Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension moves towards segment launching phase

The ongoing work on the freeway. Pic/Malhar Pawar

The MMRDA has completed 165 of the 395 planned piers for Mumbai's 13.9-km Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension (EFE), with work now moving towards the next major phase - launching precast segments over the completed piers.

The segment launcher's two main trusses were installed in July. After the monsoon, the launcher will be used to erect 1,632 precast segments, each weighing around 90 tonnes, span by span to form the elevated viaduct.

An MMRDA official said, "Foundations at all 215 locations are complete, with 165 of 395 piers cast so far. Post-monsoon, precast segments will be launched over the completed piers, marking the project's next major construction phase."

320 tonnes lifted into place

The two main trusses, each measuring 59 metres and weighing 160 tonnes, were lifted and installed on the supporting structure in July. The trusses will facilitate the span-by-span erection of the precast single-cell segment viaduct. The operation was carried out on busy highway in coordination with traffic police. The entire exercise took four hours, while the actual erection of the two trusses took about one hour.

Where will it run?

The elevated corridor will start near Chedda Nagar on the Eastern Express Highway and extend towards the Navghar flyover near Anand Nagar in Mulund East.

It will have four entry and exit points:
>> Chedda Nagar
>> Kanjurmarg
>> Airoli Bridge
>> Mulund Octroi Naka

What the project aims to do

Once completed, the EFE is expected to ease traffic on the Eastern Express Highway and improve connectivity between South Mumbai and Thane. The travel time is projected to come down to around 20-25 minutes. The contractor has been given four years to complete the project, including a two-year Defect Liability Period.

In numbers

13.9 km: Length of the corridor
395: Planned piers
165: Piers cast so far
1632: Precast segments to be erected
90 tonnes: Approximate weight of each segment
160 tonnes: Weight of each main truss
59 metres: Length of each main truss
Rs 2682 crore: Project cost
3+3: Lanes