A major hurdle has been cleared for a smooth commute in the eastern suburbs.After a long wait, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) got the green light from the railways to build road overbridges (ROBs) at three central railway stations. This will help streamline traffic flow in the busy pockets of the suburbs.

“The railways has said that it would cooperate with the BMC to construct three bridges at Vidyavihar, Vikhroli and Nahur railway stations, chief engineer of BMC’s bridges department,” SO Kori, chief engineer of BMC’s bridges department, told mediapersons on Friday.

Saying that there has been a demand for construction of bridges at Vidyavihar and Vikhroli stations, Kori added that the one at Nahur needs widening and reconstruction.

“I was told that the demand for a bridge at Vidyavihar was being made since 1992. With the railways agreeing to do the job, the wait is over,” he said.

The bridges will be constructed by the railways and the BMC. The railways will construct platforms for bridges while ramps will be built by the BMC, an official said.

“We will chalk out designs and plans with the railways. The administrative procedures should take six months to complete. Tenders can be floated after it.

Our effort is to ensure we begin work in time. Once the construction starts, we should be able to complete it in two years,” he added.

According to the department’s estimates, both the BMC and the railway will spend Rs30 crore each for Vikhroli and Nahur bridges and the ROB at Vidyavihar will cost Rs92 crore.

“Nahur bridge has become a bottleneck as heavy traffic flows from the eastern suburbs to western suburbs from Eastern Express Highway,” said Nilesh Patil, a resident of Bhandup.