The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed a key construction milestone for the 13.9-km Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension (EFE) by successfully installing two main trusses of a segment launcher on the Eastern Express Highway.
Each steel truss is 59 metres long and weighs approximately 160 tonnes. According to MMRDA, the installation was carried out during a four-hour traffic block, with the actual placement of both trusses completed in just one hour. The authority said the operation was executed through detailed planning, stringent safety measures and close coordination with the Mumbai Traffic Police to minimise disruption on one of the city’s busiest arterial roads.
Following the successful installation, the segment launcher will be deployed for the next phase of construction, which involves erecting 1,632 precast concrete segments. Weighing nearly 90 metric tonnes each, the segments will be installed sequentially to construct the 25-metre-wide single-cell segmental superstructure of the elevated viaduct. MMRDA said this construction technique is expected to accelerate superstructure work while limiting the impact on traffic movement below.
The Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension is being developed as a six-lane fully elevated high-speed corridor connecting Anand Nagar in Thane with Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar. The project is designed to provide an alternative route for commuters and ease congestion on the heavily used Eastern Express Highway.
The corridor is part of MMRDA’s larger strategy to improve east-west and north-south connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region through grade-separated transport infrastructure. Once operational, the project is expected to enhance travel efficiency for both private and commercial vehicles while reducing pressure on the existing road network.
According to MMRDA, the Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension will reduce travel time between South Mumbai and Thane to approximately 20 to 25 minutes after completion, providing a faster and more reliable road connection between the two destinations.
Source: Prop News Time
