These two bridges will provide a V-shaped route between Mahalaxmi and Haji Ali by having the Saat Raasta junction at the midpoint. (Representational Image Photo: X/@mybmc)Five years after floating tender, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Wednesday set a deadline of October 2026 for the completion of missing link project between south Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi and Haji Ali, the project.This project will comprise a cable-stayed Road Over Bridge (ROB) and a flyover that will connect these two points along with one of city’s busiest traffic junction at Saat Raasta.These two bridges will provide a V-shaped route between Mahalaxmi and Haji Ali by having the Saat Raasta junction at the midpoint.“At present, the existing century-old Mahalaxmi bridge is the only link to reach Worli Haji Ali from Mahalaxmi and with the current traffic load the entire stretch stays congested throughout the day. Therefore, these two new bridges will not only complete the missing link connection between Mahalaxmi and Haji Ali, but will also establish a direct connection with Saat Raasta as well,” said a civic official.In order to ease traffic movement at south Mumbai’s, the BMC in 2019 mooted a proposal of easing the load from the existing Mahalaxmi bridge and expanding connectivity to Saat Raasta towards the east, which will complete the missing link between Haji Ali and Mahalaxmi as well.Considering the existing Mahalaxmi bridge cannot be pulled down without having a solid alternative, the BMC proposed construction of these two new flyovers. The project was cleared by the standing committee and the tenders for the same were floated in 2020.The cable-stayed ROB will originate from Keshav Rao Khadye Marg near the western side of the Mahalaxmi station and traverse eastwards above the railway tracks and the drop of the flyover will happen at Saat Raasta.This ROB will be 803 meters long with four vehicular lengths, having a width of 23 meters, while the height from the ground will be 63 meters.Story continues below this adMeanwhile, the second flyover will originate from Saat Rasta and traverse over the railway tracks and extend towards the west, finally dropping near Dr. E Moses Road, near Haji Ali adjacent to the Mahalaxmi Race Course.This flyover will be 639 meters long and will have four vehicular lanes. The civic officials maintained that the alignment of the bridge has been made to ensure minimum damage of the existing green cover.The overall cost of the two projects have been pegged at Rs 497 crore, with the cable stayed bridge costing Rs 400 crore, while the second flyover cost Ra 97 crore.On Wednesday morning a delegation of senior civic officials from the Bridges department carried out an inspection of the site when the October 2026 deadline was finalised.Story continues below this adAbhijit Bangar, additional municipal commissioner (Projects) said that a 78-meter long pillar will be constructed to support the foundation of the cable stayed bridge and the construction of this pillar will be completed in the next seven months. He maintained that simultaneously the work of launching and constructing the main carriageway of the bridge will be taken up by the authorities.The original idea of constructing these two flyovers was mooted in the Development Plan (DP) 2034 model.© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd