Thane: A road connecting Ovala with Kharbao on the Vasai-Bhiwandi route is on the cards as a latest solution to ease the traffic congestion on Ghodbunder Road and linking Thane with the Vasai-Alibaugh multimodal corridor.The approximately 40-m-wide road link was discussed at a recent meeting between Union minister of surface transport and waterways Nitin Gadkari and chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of guardian minister Eknath Shinde early this week wherein the issue of traffic congestion in Thane was brought up. The link will connect Thane with the muti modal corridor and also provide easy access for vehicles travelling between JNPT, Thane, Bhiwandi that will not have to make a detour via Ghodbunder.The Thane end of the connect will take off from the northern side of the city abutting the creek off Ovala or beyond Kasarwadavli naka and will pass over the Thane creek for over 2kms to land at Kharbao. The bridge and major part of the road will be developed on stilts as it will pass over mangroves and creek sides necessitating approvals from the environment department.The road link will connect Thane with the multimodal corridor being planned between Vasai and Alibaugh. The road link between Kharbao and Ovala will also shorten the link between the distant suburb and Thane presently separated by the creek. The plan is at the conceptual stage and its route and alignment will be taken up for discussion later, confirmed an official.Meanwhile, other alternatives for easing the GB road also came up for discussion including the foothill road wherein the Thane municipal corporation has been asked to present a detailed project report. The administration has also been tasked to secure all the approvals required for the project that is estimated to cost around Rs 700 crore. The road running along the fringes of the Sanjay Gandhi national park and the Yeoor hills will connect Mulund and Gaimukh bypassing the Ghodbunder and Eastern Express highway.The Coastal road that is another alternative connecting Gaimukh with Kharegaon bypassing the Ghodbunder road has also seen a cost escalation from the initial Rs 350 cr to Rs 1,000cr.The issue of funding the project was discussed wherein it was proposed that the TMC would handover transfer of development rights worth Rs 350 cr to the MMRDA while of the remaining Rs 300 cr, Rs 150 cr would be borne by the corporation while the rest to be secured from the state, informed the official.The Ghodbunder Road has become very congested thanks to the movement of outbound and city traffic that often overlap with each other causing traffic snarls. An alternative to the highway is the need of the hour wherein traffic coming from Mumbai and moving towards Gujarat or JNPT can be diverted, said a Thane traffic police official.

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