In a significant development for Mumbai's infrastructure, a team from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) is set to conduct a crucial site inspection at the Veer Savarkar flyover in Goregaon this Thursday. The visit aims to evaluate the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) latest proposal, which seeks to construct a new connector above the existing structure using innovative monopile technology, thereby scrapping the earlier plan for its demolition.
Public Backlash Spurs New Proposal
The BMC's site visit comes amidst sustained public outcry and mounting political pressure, especially with key civic polls on the horizon. Local residents and daily commuters have voiced strong opposition to the idea of demolishing a fully functional flyover. The structure, which cost approximately Rs 27 crore to build, was inaugurated in 2018 and has played a key role in decongesting the busy S V Road and its neighbouring stretches.
Echoing the public sentiment, local legislators from both major political parties have come out against the demolition. BJP's Vidya Thakur and Congress's Aslam Shaikh, the MLAs for Goregaon and Malad respectively, have publicly opposed the original plan.
The Monopile Solution: A Technical Shift
Explaining the technical pivot, Additional Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar stated that the original blueprint involved building a double-decker flyover. This would have necessitated razing the existing structure because keeping both would not leave the mandatory six-metre clearance below for emergency vehicles like fire engines.
"The BMC has now proposed a new flyover using the monopile technique," Bangar said. "This method requires far less space at the base and will allow the existing Savarkar bridge to remain untouched." The monopile technique involves driving a single, large-diameter concrete pile deep into the ground to act as a compact yet robust foundation for the new structure.
Bangar confirmed that in a meeting held last week, the IIT-Bombay team verbally indicated the structural feasibility of this option and requested the upcoming site inspection. While acknowledging that the design shift will have financial implications, he added that the BMC does not anticipate a significant rise in the overall project cost.
Linking Major Road Projects
Officials revealed that the BMC is specifically examining whether the monopile construction method can be effectively applied for the proposed connector from the Coastal Road (North) to the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR). This connector is a critical piece in the larger puzzle to link the Malad–Mindspace segment of the Coastal Road to Dindoshi.
The BMC's consideration to demolish the flyover was first reported by the Times of India on August 5. While IIT-Bombay has given preliminary verbal assurances on the feasibility of the new monopile-based design, the civic body is still awaiting a formal, written approval from the institute following the thorough site assessment.
This Thursday's evaluation by the expert team will be a decisive step, determining the future of a key traffic artery in Western Mumbai and setting a precedent for how the city balances new infrastructure development with the preservation of existing public assets.
