Crucial public hearing to decide fate of stuck Peddar Rd flyover on July 28

The much-awaited public hearing for seeking suggestions and objections for the Peddar Road flyover project is finally slated to be held on July 28.

The much-awaited public hearing for seeking suggestions and objections for the Peddar Road flyover project is finally slated to be held on July 28. This will be the second time that the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will be holding the public hearing for the project that has been strongly opposed since its inception 11 years ago.

Minister of Public Works Department (Public Undertaking) Jaydutt Kshirsagar said: The Collector has fixed the public hearing for July 28. The venue has not been decided yet,but the MSRDC is looking for a place. He added that the flyover is a crucial part of the traffic dispersal system as the construction of the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link is expected to start soon. Once constructed,the entire traffic will clog the already congested Haji Ali junction where five major roads meet.

The public hearing being conducted as per the directive of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) is a first step towards progress. An environment impact study will also be done, Kshirsagar said. The minister wrote to Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh in February to apprise him of the urgency of clearing the flyover,estimated to cost Rs 160 crore.

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Last October,the expert appraisal committee of the MoEF had directed the MSRDC to conduct a public hearing regarding the flyover.

While the MSRDC officials are quite confident that the project will take off soon,the residents of Peddar Road are ready with their suggestions and objections on the 4.33-km flyover,which will link Haji Ali Junction to Tambe Chowk near Wilson College.

Veena Singhal,chairperson of the Peddar Road Residents Association,said there are a number of logical questions that the MSRDC and other authorities have to answer before going ahead with the project.

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