Skywalks realigned to clear path for monorail project

PrashantRangnekar : Mumbai, Sun Jul 12 2009

It was decided to realign skywalks at Mahalaxmi, Sewri and Lower Parel as the monorail passes through these places

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has realigned three planned skywalks and scrapped one to make way for the country’s first monorail.

These skywalks were obstructing the route of the monorail and MMRDA had no option but give the mass transportation project priority over the skywalks.

“Monorail is a big project as compared to the skywalk. When we found that some skywalks were obstructing the monorail, we decided to realign them,” said Lt Colonel A Pahal, additional chief engineer of the MMRDA who is looking after the skywalk projects in the MMR.

According to officials, after a series of meetings, it was decided to realign skywalks at Mahalaxmi, Sewri and Lower Parel as the monorail passes through these four places.

Of the two proposed and sanctioned skywalks at Wadala, one was cancelled. The infrastructure agency is currently constructing 48 skywalks across the MMR.

A portion of the seven-part skywalk at Mahalaxmi, which was to come up on the Keshavrao Khade Mar at Mahalaxmi was also scrapped. The skywalk’s length, which was 1,600 metre earlier, has now been reduced to 1,000 metre. “Three parts of this skywalk had to be scrapped as they were in the way of the monorail,” said Pahal.

Similarly, the patch on the Bhatankar road at Lower Parel outside the station was also realigned as it was obstructing the monorail’s path. The Sewri skywalk was also realigned at the RAK Marg.”

At Wadala, the MMRDA scrapped one of the two skywalks. “We had to scrap a skywalk at D S Berato road at Wadala as it would have obstructed the rail path,” added Pahal.

“The process of realigning the skywalks was easy as one agency was undertaking two different projects. Had there been any other agency, it would have delayed the monorail project,” said an MMRDA official.

The MMRDA is constructing the country’s first monorail from Jacob Circle to Chembur via Wadala at a cost of Rs 2,460. The first phase of this corridor (from Chembur to Wadala) has to be completed in November 2010 and the rest (from Wadala to Jacob Circle) by April 2011.

Work is currently on at five places — Saibaba Road, Mint Colony, Wadala, Bhakti Park and R C Marg.

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