In a bid to decongest the area around Dahisar check naka — one of the five entry and exit points of the city— the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to construct an additional bypass road that will ensure smooth traffic movement in the area.
In the past few days, several citizens had taken to social media slamming state authorities over the traffic woes. Following this, city guardian minister Aaditya Thackeray held a joint meeting with officials from traffic police, BMC, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
Each day, thousands of vehicles pass through Dahisar check naka, as along with the south Mumbai-bound traffic, it also handles cargo traffic going to Gujarat and towards Delhi to north of India.
According to BMC officials, it has decided to shift the pandal it has set up for the Dahisar jumbo Covid-19 centre in order to free the service road. Additionally, it is also planning to construct a bypass road parallel to the service road on the south-bound lane that will help reduce traffic at Dahisar toll naka.
Mridula Andhe, assistant municipal commissioner of BMC’s R-North ward, under whose jurisdiction the area lies, said, “There were a few extension cabins from the Covid-19 jumbo care centre on the service road. They will be removed, and the service road will be handed over [for vehicular traffic]. This will ensure smooth movement of traffic.”
Andhe added, “When it comes to long-term planning, we are exploring to construct a bypass road parallel to the current road on the south-bound lane. There are a few structures right now over which litigations have been filed. Once the matter is resolved, we will construct additional roads there, which will further decongest traffic in the area.”
MSRDC officials said that currently a substantial amount of traffic is also due to the barricades of metro construction work. An MSRDC official said, “In the meeting, it was discussed that MMRDA will remove barricading from the stretches where work is completed. This will ensure smooth traffic movement. In addition to it, we have directed the toll contractor to ensure a smooth surface of the road.”
The MSRDC official added, “Despite being mandatory, several vehicle owners do not have fast-tag or do not recharge it, resulting in traffic jams. We expect citizens to make use of digital mode for payment of toll.”
According to Borivli resident Viraj Mamania motorists do not follow lane discipline at the toll naka.
“Additionally, the road is full of potholes, which results in traffic even during non-peak hours. Also, the design at the toll naka is such that even adding one more lane will result in traffic. The only solution to this is shifting the toll naka further towards Mira Road.”