True, Real , Fact About Vitawa Subway

Following News Appeared in DNA dt. 22nd Feb. 2012.

Please note that it is almost 8 / 9 years are over since this project started, till date it has not completed. During this period, 2/3 M.P.s changed, 2/3 M.L.A.s changed, Now third time new corp orators in Thane Municipal Corporation got elected., but one thing is not changed and i.e. Traffic issue at Vitawa Subway . How Indian will become super power by 2020 ?

Vitawa subway project delays, says civic chief

Deepa Sarna Gawli

Once again the commuters doubt on completion of the Vitawa subway project in time, has proved right. The deadline of the subway is once again extended to March 2012.
RA Rajeev, the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) commissioner earlier in January 2012 had confirmed that the work will be completed within 40 days. However, the tenure is over and still a lot of work needs to be completed.
Vitawa subway is the only direct get through by road between Thane and Navi Mumbai, as the Airoli-Mulund link road is avoided by many due to the toll charges. Built during the British regime, the six-lane road has been reduced to two lanes and vehicles pass through a narrow road under the subway. Due to vehicular traffic near Vitawa, TMC had proposed for the subway that could ease the traffic at this spot.
“The work will be completed by March. Daily we have been carrying out 0.6 metre work,” said Rajeev. Earlier it was the lack of coordination between the central railway and TMC had delayed the project. When inquired about the reason Rajeev added, “The work is going on in full swing. Now we are receiving the required support from the railways too and there is no problem at all.”
The construction of Vitawa subway began in February 2003. The completion of the project has been held up and delayed due to the requirement of mega-blocks needed for working on the project. The cost of the project has escalated from Rs4 crore to more than Rs8 crore. TMC has used ‘Push Box’ technique for the new way. With the new technique, the RCC boxes will be pushed below the railway tracks and a subway will be ready.
But still the daily commuters feel that even by March the work would not be completed. “I have personally visited the Vitawa subway recently. Being an engineer, I feel that the work will take another five to six months. When I spoke to the site engineer, he confirmed that it will take at least three months to complete the side towards Vitawa Gaon while the other side of the subway will start after that,” said Satyajit Shah.
Shah added, “We are already in the third week of February. By May end, rainy season will start. Till end of September 2012 because of rains no work will be done. By that time excuses like cost escalation and no mega block among others will be given as reasons for the delay.”
TMC officials claim that till now 35 metre work of the 49 metres have been completed. The work is carried only during the night hours, that is, between 1.30 am to 3.30 am.