MUMBAI: The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Monday began erecting precast segments for the 13.9-km Elevated Eastern Freeway Extension, marking the start of superstructure work on the six-lane corridor connecting Anand Nagar in Thane with Chheda Nagar in Ghatkopar.The first precast segment, weighing more than 90 tonnes, was launched at Pier P78 near Bhandup Pumping Station using a 115-metre-long mechanised Launching Gantry-01. The erection was carried out over the Eastern Express Highway while traffic continued to move below.The launch marks a shift from foundation and pier construction to erection of the elevated corridor. The mechanised gantry is designed to lift and position heavy precast segments with minimal ground-level support, reducing the need for traffic restrictions during construction.LG-01 will progressively erect 1,632 precast segments towards Mumbai. The segments will be longitudinally post-tensioned to form complete bridge spans. A second launching gantry will work from Vikhroli towards Mumbai, while a Ground Support System will undertake construction between Bhandup and Kanjurmarg towards Thane.The project has a typical span of 40 metres, comprising 16 segments, with 288 full spans planned. The maximum segment weight is 106 tonnes, while a complete span can weigh up to 1,450 tonnes.According to MMRDA, 81% of monopile work and 19% of group-pile work has been completed, while progress on piers and pier caps stands at 51% and 33%, respectively. Of the planned 3,732 precast segments, 135 have been cast so far.The project uses 2,500-mm-diameter monopiles and a single-pier arrangement, which eliminates conventional pile caps and helps reduce the construction footprint along the busy Eastern Express Highway.Once completed, the corridor is expected to provide a faster connection between Thane and Mumbai and bring South Mumbai-Thane travel time down to around 20-25 minutes, while easing congestion on the Eastern Express Highway.
