Work on bicycle track begins alongside Tansa

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has begun construction work of the second phase (part A) of the ambitious 36-kilometrelong cycle track along Tansa lake pipeline.

The BMC has been carrying out major demolition drives, as per Bombay High Court orders, in order to remove illegal encroachments alongside the Tansa pipeline, in this case, 16,000 encroachments. After having shooed them away, in order to ensure they don't return, the BMC had come up with this project titled, 'Green Wheels among the Blue Lines'.

The project is to construct a three-metre wide cycle track with as much wide pedestrian way. The cost of the entire project is estimated to be nearly Rs 350 crore.

“We completed and took care of all of the paperwork in the monsoon since we cannot undertake construction during that period. But we are ready now and digging has already begun. As far as encroachments are concerned, it has also been taken care of,” said a senior BMC official, adding that the entire project will be completed in around three years time.

The second phase will cover construction of cycle as well as jogging tracks alongside Tansa pipeline. The work will include tree planting, constructing gardens, illumination of the tracks and retaining walls and stormwater drains as well. The second phase of the project will cost around Rs 137 crore.

The cycle track will have 40 entry and exit points which will be connected to 10 Central Railway stations, five Western Railway stations, four Harbour line stations, seven Metro stations, two monorail stations, and a few arterial roads.

The proposal for Part B of the second phase is yet to be approved by the civic body.