The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has achieved a key construction milestone on the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension (EFE) project by successfully installing two massive trusses of the Segment Launcher on the Eastern Express Highway in Mumbai.
The installation marks the beginning of the next phase of viaduct construction for the 13.9-km elevated corridor, which is expected to improve connectivity between Thane and Ghatkopar. The Segment Launcher will now be used to erect 1,632 precast concrete segments required to build the elevated structure.
Sharing details of the operation on X, MMRDA said the two main trusses of the Segment Launcher, each measuring 59 metres in length and weighing 160 tonnes, were installed during a specially planned four-hour traffic window. The authority added that the actual erection process for both trusses was completed within just one hour.
The complex engineering activity was carried out with detailed planning, strict safety measures and coordination with the Mumbai Traffic Police to ensure smooth execution while minimising inconvenience to commuters on the busy highway.
With the installation of the main trusses completed, the Segment Launcher will begin placing 1,632 precast segments, each weighing approximately 90 tonnes, in a span-by-span construction process. These segments will create the 25-metre-wide single-cell segmental superstructure, helping accelerate the construction of the elevated viaduct.
The Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension is a fully elevated six-lane high-speed corridor connecting Anand Nagar in Thane with Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar. The project is designed to provide an alternative route to the congested Eastern Express Highway and strengthen connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between South Mumbai and Thane significantly. According to MMRDA, the journey between the two locations could be completed in around 20 to 25 minutes after the project becomes functional.
The project is expected to ease congestion on one of Mumbai’s busiest arterial routes while improving east-west mobility and supporting smoother movement of vehicles across the metropolitan region. With major construction activities progressing, the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension is set to become an important addition to Mumbai’s expanding road infrastructure network.
Source: The Free Press Journal
