In a rarity, cost of elevated road project is down 40%.

While prices of infrastructure works generally escalate with time, the cost of an elevated road project, which the city's development authority soon plans to take up for construction, has come down by Rs. 105 crore or nearly 40 per cent since tenders for it were first put out in February.

The construction cost of a road connector between the Bandra Kurla Complex and the Eastern Express Highway has now reduced to Rs. 155.7 crore from the original estimate of Rs. 261 crore. The cost drastically dropped first to Rs. 203 crore due to design tweaks, mainly to the section crossing the Mithi River, by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

Now, with the lowest bidder, JKumar Infraprojects, having quoted a price much lower than the estimated costs after the design changes, the price tag of the 1.6-km connector has dropped further to Rs. 155.7 crore.

An MMRDA official who did not wish to be named said three of the five bidders for the project had quoted an amount below the estimated cost.

U P S Madan, metropolitan commissioner at the MMRDA, said, 'The work has been awarded and we are ready. We have already had talks with the Central Railway for a clearance to build an over-bridge at the railway tracks near Chunabhatti station. At the railway’s insistence, we will also connect the internal roads there to close an existing railway crossing. Simultaneously, we have applied for a Coastal Regulation Zone clearance. We will do the preparatory work over the next two months and start construction post monsoon.'

THE INDIAN EXPRESS