Reported by Rajendra Akhelar in Dnaindia.com on Jul 21, 2012
Delayed by 2 years, Eastern Freeway sees Rs41 crore cost hike - Mumbai - DNA

Work on the Eastern Freeway project has shot its deadline resulting in the project cost going up by Rs41 crore.

City activist Anil Galgali, who had sought details of the project under the Right to Information Act, pointed out that with the project being marred with accidents, it may get delayed further. “Someone should be held responsible for the additional Rs41 crore waste of public money,” he said.

Work on the project up to Anik had begun in January 2008 at a cost of Rs531 crore and was expected to be complete in January 2011. But now, the same work is expected to be complete in January 2013 and the cost has escalated by Rs41 crore.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) officials cited four primary reasons for the delay: Relocating structures on PD’Mello Road, acquiring land from the Customs department, acquiring land from the salt department and relocating of high-tension cables at Reay Road.

Galgali asked: “Didn’t the MMRDA foresee these problems when they were planning it? How come all of their infrastructure projects get delayed at last minute because of such problems? There seems to be serious lack of planning.”