Turbhe Flyover in Navi Mumbai will be demolished and rebuilt after years of recurring potholes, deck defects and repair work, according to a report by Loksatta . The Maharashtra Public Works Department has taken the decision for the flyover on the Sion-Panvel Highway, a key route connecting Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Panvel.
The decision follows repeated concerns about the condition and construction quality of the structure, which was built in the 1990s and opened to traffic around 1994. Despite widening and concreting work on the highway, the flyover has continued to develop potholes, particularly during the monsoon, the report said.
Problems reported over the years include voids forming on the deck, damage to expansion joints and deterioration of the concrete structure. The Public Works Department carried out repairs and strengthening work at different stages, but the defects repeatedly returned. The department has now decided that continued repairs are not a permanent solution and that the existing flyover should be removed and replaced.
The structure had come under scrutiny within a decade of its construction. The report said a cavity had appeared on the flyover during that period, prompting then deputy chief minister and public works minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil to inspect it and order an inquiry into the construction. Subsequent complaints about the flyover’s condition and the annual expenditure on pothole repairs were among the factors considered in the decision to rebuild it.
The Turbhe flyover is an important link on the Sion-Panvel Highway because the route carries substantial daily traffic between Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Panvel. Traffic volumes rise further during the Ganesh festival, when more vehicles travel from Mumbai and its suburbs towards the Konkan region. The condition of the flyover and the safety of vehicles using it have therefore become more significant during periods of heavier traffic.
The report said work on a new flyover has been initiated after the decision to remove the existing structure. It also referred to the demolition of the first section and the start of reconstruction, but details such as the full construction schedule, the traffic management plan, project cost and completion date were not provided in the available account.
The Public Works Department’s next steps will determine how traffic is managed while the old structure is removed and the replacement is built. Further official details on the demolition sequence, diversions and construction timeline are awaited.
