The tranquillity of Thane’s morning rush was shattered as a sudden repair initiative by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the Mumbai-bound arm of the Majiwada flyover triggered a citywide traffic nightmare.
Motorists found themselves ensnared in extensive gridlock for hours on end during the early hours of Wednesday. The urgency stemmed from the discovery of a damaged expansion joint on the U-shaped arm of the flyover, necessitating immediate replacement. PWD swiftly responded by implementing an urgent block, commencing from midnight on Wednesday and lasting nearly five hours. As a result, all Mumbai-bound traffic from Balkum, Western Mumbai, and Gujarat utilising the Ghodbunder road faced diversion away from the flyover, rerouting through Majiwada. This redirection caused a severe overlap of city-bound and outbound traffic, resulting in congestion stretching nearly 4km until Waghbil.
Commuters lamented their ordeal, recounting tales of spending upwards of 30 minutes to traverse a mere 100 metres. Swati Bhat, a frustrated commuter, took to social media to express her dismay, narrating a two-hour ordeal stuck in an auto on Kolshet road amidst the traffic chaos. Senior Thane traffic police officers acknowledged the exacerbating circumstances, citing the repair work’s extension beyond the initially planned 5 am deadline, rendering the flyover inaccessible until the afternoon. Meanwhile, the woes of commuters extend beyond Thane, as Metro construction work faces hurdles near the airport due to traffic block challenges on VIP Road. The ongoing delays not only impede the Metro’s completion timeline but also disrupt traffic flow management, compounding the inconvenience faced by travellers. Similarly, traffic congestion on the 200 Feet Thoraipakkam-Pallavaram Radial Road adds to the woes of office-goers, with frequent delays and inadequate traffic management leaving ambulances and commuters stranded during peak hours. These incidents underscore the pressing need for reliable traffic solutions and alternative routes to mitigate disruptions and ensure smoother commuting experiences for all.
