3 min readMumbaiMar 29, 2026 12:36 PM IST
Eight years after work began, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) flyover extension between Goregaon and Ram Mandir on the Western Express Highway (WEH) remains incomplete, with the project cost escalating by 45% from its original estimate.
The 750-metre extension of the Mrinaltai Gore Flyover, which began in 2018 with a deadline of 24 months, is still under construction. The cost has risen from Rs 170.82 crore to Rs 247 crore, with the latest revision proposal tabled before the civic standing committee earlier this month.
Civic officials said the project has now reached around 80% completion and is expected to be finished by April-end or mid-May.
Cost escalations and design changes
The flyover, planned in 2016, was aimed at providing a direct link between Ram Mandir and Goregaon, easing traffic by allowing motorists to bypass SV Road and Link Road.
While work orders were issued in 2018 at an estimated cost of Rs 170.82 crore, subsequent changes in alignment pushed the cost to Rs 194 crore. The latest proposal has further revised the cost to Rs 247 crore.
In its note to the standing committee, the BMC cited additional requirements such as resurfacing the carriageway, installation of road signages, and construction of noise barriers due to new residential buildings along the stretch.
Opposition flags concerns
The proposal, tabled on March 18, has drawn objections from Congress corporator Ashraf Azmi, who demanded a site inspection.
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“It is shocking that instead of reprimanding the contractor, the BMC is rewarding them with cost escalation. There is no clear explanation for such a sharp increase despite the project remaining incomplete for eight years,” Azmi said.
He also questioned the design changes, alleging lack of planning and wastage of public funds.
The civic administration has scheduled a site visit for elected representatives and standing committee members on March 30.
Reasons for delay
Meanwhile, issuing a statement the BMC said that the delay was mainly caused due to change in design and the COVID 19 pandemic.
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“The work orders were issued in 2018 and the work could only begin by 2019. The flyover would pass above four key traffic junctions therefore the construction work could only be carried out in the night due to traffic congestion during the day. This left us with a limited timeline,” the BMC’s statement read.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic there was a shortage of manpower, due to which the project got stuck. Also, the flyover passes close to crematoriums and burial grounds. Therefore, the local representatives maintained that the previous alignment of the project would hinder access to these locations. For which we had to change to design and create an additional underpass to provide accessibility leading to cost escalation,” the BMC’s statement read.
Why the delay ?
- Congested Junction leading to limited construction time
- Labour shortage due to Covid 19 impact
- Prolonged time to secure construction permission from police department
Why cost escalation ?
Change in design :- The new design demanded construction of a subway
Rise in raw materials like steel
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Installation of noise barriers since residential buildings have come up in the periphery of the bridge that were not there earlier
Latest deadline of completion :- April – May 2026
