Mumbai: Juhu airport faces a new threat thanks to the BMC

The CMP proposes building a road that will cut right through the runway at Juhu airport to connect Santacruz with Andheri File picOver three years and Rs 79 crore later this is the genius plan the BMC has come up with to improve connectivity in the city they want to build two roads right across the Juhu airports operational area This is what has been proposed in the civic bodys comprehensive mobility plan CMP but even civic officials admit its not the most practical plan Fortunately they are now considering building an underpass below the airport to connect Santacruz with AndheriAlso read Chop Juhu airport runway by half for minaretThe BMC now intends to build an underpass below the runway instead of cutting across it File picThe BMC had appointed international consultants to prepare the Comprehensive Mobility Plan CMP as far back as 2014 After the expenditure of Rs 79 crore the plan that was finally submitted to the civic body in 2016 suggested building not one but two roads cutting across Juhu airport Even more bizarre was the proposal to construct one of these roads right across the runway while the other one is designed to cut through the airports operational areaThe CMP suggests an action plan spanning across nearly two decades with three phases short term 20162019 medium term 20202024 and long term 20252034 The first phase alone is estimated to cost 1000 times the amount spent on developing the plan ie Rs 7962 crore This phase includes widening of 177 roads as well as building 70 new roads to bridge the missing links between major parts of the city One such missing link that needs to be built is between Santacruz and Andheri the same road that is proposed to pass through the Juhu runway According to KWest ward officials this 305metre road will connect Link Road in Santacruz to NS Road number 10 in Juhu which continues further as the Link Road to BorivliBMCs alternative planNo doubt the city needs a road to improve connectivity between these two suburbs but even civic officials admit it may be more practical to build an underpass below the runway Building a road through the airport will not only require possession of land that belongs to Airport Authority of India but will also hamper operations on the runwayThe BMC is now preparing a contingency plan for this missing link V P Chithore chief engineer of the Roads and Traffic department said The road was part of the 1991 Development Plan and is now a part of the revised draft DP 2034 We are not writing off the missing link as an underpass is always an alternative in such casesTwo other roadsThere is yet another road proposed to cut through the airport which is to be built in the second phase of the CMP This road will also connect the Link Road in the south to Gulmohar road in Juhu According to the official map accessed by midday there is third road that has also been proposed for the last phase which will pass through the airport authoritys land However that area is currently packed with slums This road will connect Link Road to Juhu Tara Road177Number of roads that are to be widened70Number of missing link roads to be constructed305mWidth of the road proposed to cut through runwayRs 79 croreAmount spent on preparing the planRs 7962 croreEstimated cost of phase I of the planCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news current affairs from Mumbai local news crime news and breaking headlines hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go