Discarding Mumbai Transformation Support Unit’s (MTSU) plan for a shorter version of Peddar Road flyover covering only Cadbury Junction, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) will go ahead with the Haji Ali-Girgaum Chowpatty version.

A senior MSRDC official said there was once a plan to erect a shorter flyover covering only Haji Ali and Cadbury junction. “But now we will go ahead with our original plan,” said the official.

As per the original plan, the length of the flyover was at 4.2km. It was to start near Haji Ali junction and end at Chowpatty (near Wilson College) to ease traffic between South Mumbai and suburbs.

In the shorter version, apart from bridging the northern end of this arterial road, there was work of traffic engineering. The idea was to have one-way roads on Babulnath–Sukhsagar-Girgaum Chowpatty route.

The Prempuri Ashram junction-Sukhsagar-Chowpatty route too was proposed to be one-way and a one-way has also been proposed on Chowpatty-Prempuri Ashram and Chowpatty- Reliance Jewels showroom.

Securing an NOC from the traffic cops will be a tough task over apprehension that during construction, it will lead to traffic chaos. So, alternative routes need to be identified.

The construction duration will be 18-24 months once the tender is awarded. At the moment, MSRDC has bids from private bidders.

The controversial project was conceived during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule between 1995 and 1999 when the then PWD minister Nitin Gadkari had come out with a ‘50 flyovers’ plan for Mumbai.

Since then it has faced stiff opposition from celebrity residents like Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle among other locals, making it one of the most delayed projects.