Sahar Elevated Access Road
 |
This article may require copy editing for clarity and accessibility. (October 2012) |
| Sahar Elevated Access Road | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) | |
| Length: | 3.3 km (2.1 mi) |
| Major junctions | |
| East end: | Western Express Highway |
| West end: | Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport |
| Location | |
| States: | Maharashtra |
| Major cities: | Mumbai |
| Highway system | |
The Sahar Elevated Access Road is an elevated road under construction in Mumbai. It provides direct connectivity between the Western Express Highway (WEH) and the forecourts of Terminal T2 of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The 3.3 km long access road has 4 entry points and 2 exit points. The road includes an underpass for vehicles on the WEH and a pedestrian subway[1] as well as underpasses, a tunnel and ramps connecting the highway to the terminal, bypassing the congested roadways below.
The corridor is being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) under its Mumbai Urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP). The project cost of 
570 crore (US$100 million),[1] approved by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), will be paid by the Central Government, the Government of Maharashtra, the MMRDA and Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).[2][3]
Contents |
Background [edit]
Despite the fact that T2 is located close to Mumbai’s arterial Western Express Highway, travellers approaching the terminal have to tackle the congested roads of Andheri (East) before reaching the airport forecourt. The impending shift of all domestic air traffic would make the situation worse during the daytime and evening peak traffic hours. In order to avoid traffic bottlenecks, an elevated direct corridor by-passing the crowded Chakala, Sahar Road and Jog flyover areas of Andheri (East) was envisaged.
On the WEH end, the project is composed of 1,050 metres (3,440 ft) an elevated road, a 98-metre-long (322 ft) tunnel, with ramps measuring 261 metres (856 ft), three vehicular underpasses each of 48, 22, and 30 metres (157, 72, and 98 ft) and 641 metres (2,103 ft) of six-lane at-grade roadway. A 48-metre (157 ft) pedestrian underpass on the WEH is also part of the plan. The road will have four ramps measuring 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) on the airport end.
Route [edit]
The corridor begins at the WEH heading east at grade until the elevated section takes it over the Sahar Road. The corridor continues east over the Indian Airlines Project Road until it reaches the current main approach road of the International terminal where the corridor disperses into ramps leading to the arrival and departure forecourts.
Construction [edit]
The road is being built in two parts. The first is a 1.8 km stretch from the WEH to the Hyatt Regency (on Sahar Airport Road)[4] and the second part is a 1.5 km stretch from the Hyatt Regency to the airport. The first section will cost 343 crore (US$63 million) and will be built by the MMRDA, while the second will cost 227 crore (US$42 million) and will be built by MIAL.[1]
The project was commissioned in January 2008[2][5] and the original deadline for completing the entire project was December 2012. However, due to delays, the first section is expected to open in May 2013 and the second section in December 2013.[1]
Elevated Road [edit]
The elevated road consists of 30 spans of 35-metre-long (115 ft) precast concrete segments erected using a specially fabricated launching girder and strand jack. The pillars measure 2.5 by 2.8 metres (8.2 ft × 9.2 ft) at the base. The 27.6-metre (91 ft) deck superstructure is composed of a 9-metre-wide (30 ft) precast central spine and two 9.3-metre (31 ft) cantilever wings on either side connected to the central spine by concrete stitching and transverse pre-stressing methods.
Underpass [edit]
To ensure quick completion, the pedestrian and two- and three-wheeler underpass on the Western Express Highway was constructed with pre-cast box cells. The approaches on either sides were built with reinforced earth walls.
Tunnel [edit]
A 98-metre-long (322 ft) tunnel is to be constructed at the junction of the corridor with the WEH using the cut and cover method with concrete contiguous piles.
Challenges faced [edit]
Carrying out construction activities on one of Mumbai’s busiest roads with minimum interference to the traffic is a major challenge. There was no opportunity for diversion of traffic as the deck width of the bridge was as wide as the road width below. Frequent VIP movements accessing the airport further compounded the problem. Also, the corridor passes by the Post & Telegraph colony[5] and a few 5-star hotels which were apprehensive about the project. The issues were sorted through negotiations and environmentally friendly construction practices.
The work on the tunnel at the Western Express Highway end of the corridor is carried out only at night because the spot is in the landing and taking off funnel the adjacent airport runway. The engineers at the site have been asked by the airport authorities to halt work several times due to emergency landings on the runway.[6]
Space constraints at the casting yard were dealt by designing the pre-cast and cantilever segments so they could be stacked in two piers. The pedestrian and the vehicular underpasses on the WEH were constructed in planned phases such that there was minimum disturbance to traffic and hence helping complete the project in record time.
Rehabilitation [edit]
700 project-affected persons (PAPs), residents of Baman Vada, Ambedkar Nagar and Rajaram Wadi near the Western Express Highway, were to be rehabilitated at the Kurla site of Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) in accordance with the existing rehabilitation policy of MMRDA. The rehabilitation was to be done by (MIAL) through HDIL and MMRDA as a coordinating agency.[7]
Work on the project had been delayed as many PAPs living along the route had initially refused to shift to resettlement colonies in Kurla and Oshiwara. They agreed to shift, however, after prolonged negotiations with MMRDA. Many slum dwellers were technically not eligible for rehabilitation. The correspondence between PAPs and MMRDA delayed the demolition of these houses.[2]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c d "Four ways to a faster commute". Hindustan Times. 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ a b c "Demolition of 350 houses paves the way for elevated road at Sahar". Hindustan Times. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ "Flying in to the Airport forecourt" (PDF). ECC Concord. January 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
- ^ "5-star luxury hotel in Mumbai, India - Hyatt Regency Mumbai". Mumbai.regency.hyatt.com. Retrieved 2013-03-13.
- ^ a b "Inordinate delays, same old excuses". Daily News & Analysis. 27 December 2008. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ "A leap year". Mumbai Mirror. 3 June 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
- ^ "700 PAPs at Sahar elevated access road to be rehabilitated". Accommodation Times. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
