MMRDA gearing up to build Kopri-Patni bridge over creek in Thane East

Mumbai: With the Kopri bridge on the Eastern Express Highway now ready for public use, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is evaluating construction of Kopri-Patni bridge over the creek in Thane East.

A tender has been floated by the MMRDA to appoint a consultant to prepare the report on the creek bridge, which is estimated to cost about Rs234 crore, which may shoot up as the project nears completion.

Detailed project report awaited on proposed infra

To begin with, a detailed project report will be prepared not only to weigh the need of the proposed infra but also to have a detailed design for the exact location of the bridge. As per the initial workings, the bridge component will be 600 metre in length and the approach roads between Kopri and Patni will be about 400-metre-long. 

Likely to come up at Kopri's Visarjan Ghat, the bridge will ease traffic woes of people living around the Knowledge Park, Airoli and Vitawa, Thane. It will also reduce the distance between Thane railway station on Central Railway's main line and the new Digha railway station on the trans-harbour line.

Bridging missing connectivity & resolving congestion

Once ready, the creek bridge will remove the missing connectivity link, resulting in decongestion of other roads in Thane East. Presently, there is no direct vehicular connectivity across the Thane Creek on either side of the river banks. One has to take a half-an-hour road journey and traverse Thane city, Kalwa, Digha and Belapur Road to criss-cross Thane creek. The proposed new connectivity is expected to cut down travelling time to just 5-7 minutes.

The other road link to pass the creek is via the bridge connecting Mulund and Airoli. But to access this route, one has to twice cross the toll points at Anand Nagar in Mulund and on the bridge at Airoli, which costs Rs160 toll for a return journey. 

The consultant's report is expected in the next six months, after which the MMRDA officials are likely to commence execution of the project.

Project cost:

Rs234 cr

Proposed location:

Kopri's Visarjan Ghat

Bridge length:

600 metre

To resolve traffic woes between:

Thane, Airoli

Consultant report expected in:

6 months