DNA: Mumbai: Thursday,
March 27, 2014.
The project
cost of Santa Cruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR) is constantly increasing with every
missing deadline. The latest estimate for this link road is Rs450 crore, which
is 391.30 per cent more than the initial estimate.
"The
work on this project is underway for 8 years now and its price has kept on
increasing. There is no definite project pricing and deadline set by the
authorities," said Right to Information (RTI) activist Anil Galgali.
As per the
reply received through RTI from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority (MMRDA), the latest estimated project cost is Rs450 crore.
The first
estimate in 2003, when the project work began, was Rs114.96 crore.
In August
2011, the project cost of the very same 3.5km-long infrastructure project was
Rs254.76 crore.
Even though
MMRDA officials have been maintaining that work on the project will get
completed by March 31, officials requesting anonymity say that it will open
only by mid-April.
The delay in
the project has primarily been due to rehabilitation and resettlement related
works. The World Bank was earlier assisting by way of loans to finance the
project, but due to constant delays in completing it, they withdrew from the
project.
The Santa
Cruz-Chembur Link Road will help reducing traffic congestion on the roads of
Santa Cruz – Kalanagar – Dharavi – Sion – Chembur.
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