BMC Plans Demolition of Seven-Year-Old Goregaon Flyover for Major Infrastructure Project

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced on August 6, 2025, that the Veer Savarkar flyover in Goregaon, which cost ₹27 crore and was inaugurated just seven years ago, would be demolished to facilitate the upcoming Coastal Road 2 project. The municipal corporation stated that this controversial decision was necessary to clear the path for the ambitious infrastructure development.

Coastal Road 2 Project Demands Infrastructure Realignment

Officials from the municipal corporation explained that the Coastal Road 2 forms part of the extensive 22-kilometer Versova-Dahisar Link Road project, which aims to enhance east-west connectivity across Mumbai. The project is designed to link Mindspace in Malad with Dahisar and will further connect to the proposed Goregaon-Mulund Link Road infrastructure development.

The corporation's representatives indicated that the Savarkar flyover, commonly referred to as the MTNL flyover among local residents, obstructs the proposed elevated connector route from the Coastal Road to Dindoshi. They emphasized that this necessitated the structure's removal to ensure seamless project implementation.

Double-Decker Solution Proposed as Replacement

Municipal engineers revealed that once the demolition is completed, the flyover would be rebuilt as part of a sophisticated double-decker infrastructure system. The new design would feature the original flyover function as the lower deck, while the upper deck would serve as a high-speed connector linking Mindspace to Dindoshi court.

A civic official told reporters that alternative solutions had been thoroughly examined but proved unfeasible. The official stated that the integrated design would enable uninterrupted connectivity from the Coastal Road to the GMLR tunnels and provide direct access to Mumbai's eastern suburbs, which could significantly impact real estate development in Mumbai's western suburbs.

Political Leaders Criticize Municipal Planning Approach

The demolition proposal has generated significant criticism from political representatives and civic activists. Former corporator Deepak Thakur expressed concerns about potential traffic disruption in Malad, Madh, and Marve areas, warning that the flyover's removal could restore the 45-minute traffic congestion that previously affected the junction.

Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh denounced the decision as evidence of inadequate urban planning by the administration. He questioned how the government could only realize after seven years that such a major infrastructure component required demolition, calling it a misuse of public funds and demanding accountability from responsible authorities.

Timeline and Implementation Concerns Surface

Internal sources within the municipal corporation disclosed that alignment concerns regarding the flyover and the Coastal Road project had been identified approximately one year ago. However, they confirmed that concrete action plans had only recently been initiated, with survey work already commenced by appointed contractors at the demolition site.

The decision has drawn comparisons to the dismantling of the Bandra West skywalk between 2019 and 2024, which was removed to accommodate Metro Line 2B construction. Similar to that project, the Coastal Road 2 infrastructure project incorporates multiple engineering elements including ground-level roads, elevated corridors, cable-stayed bridges, and tunnel systems.

Approval Process and Public Concerns

The proposal currently awaits final approval from the municipal commissioner before implementation can proceed. Citizens and urban planning activists have raised questions about whether Mumbai's rapid infrastructure expansion is being guided by adequate foresight or represents systemic planning deficiencies.

The development has sparked broader discussions about the effectiveness of Mumbai's infrastructure transformation initiatives and their impact on existing civic amenities and public investments.