Dahisar Toll Plaza Imposes Heavy Vehicle Ban During Morning Rush
In an effort to reduce traffic congestion and enhance the flow of vehicles during peak hours, the Mira Bhayander-Vasai Virar (MBVV) traffic police have imposed a ban on heavy vehicles at the Dahisar toll plaza. The ban, effective from Tuesday, restricts trucks, trailers, multi-axle vehicles, and inter-state and inter-district buses from entering Mumbai between 8:00 am and 11:30 am.
This move specifically targets vehicles arriving from the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway and Thane, which are known to contribute significantly to the traffic buildup on the Western Express Highway. This restriction is not the first of its kind; a similar measure was introduced in June 2022 by Mumbai traffic police to curb heavy vehicle movement during peak hours. However, the enforcement within the city itself proved challenging. To address this, the MBVV authorities have proactively decided to stop the heavy vehicles at the Dahisar toll itself, preventing them from entering the city and contributing to traffic gridlock. The ban comes shortly after State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik highlighted the issue of severe congestion at the toll plaza.
Sarnaik directed officials to consider the creation of separate lanes for heavy vehicles and four-wheelers at the Dahisar toll, which had previously caused long delays. Just last week, Sarnaik’s own convoy faced a 10-15 minute wait due to the traffic jam at the toll naka. MBVV traffic officials acknowledged the toll plaza’s critical role in traffic flow, particularly for vehicles heading towards the city. The bottleneck at Dahisar had affected both heavy and light vehicles, which shared the same lanes. This led to inconveniences for smaller vehicles, including ambulances, emergency services, and VIP convoys, and posed potential security concerns.
As part of the enforcement measures, the MBVV has issued a formal notification under Section 33 (1) (b) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, as well as the Motor Vehicles Act. These measures aim to regulate traffic in the Mira-Bhayandar region and ensure smoother access to key city roads. However, the ban allows for exemptions, particularly for essential service vehicles. This includes police vehicles, fire brigade tenders, ambulances, drinking water tankers, and school buses. Additionally, vehicles authorised by district authorities and municipal commissioners, as well as those of the National Highways Authority of India, are exempt from the restriction.
With this ban in place, authorities hope to reduce congestion at the Dahisar toll plaza and ensure the smoother flow of traffic, particularly during the busy morning hours, which have long been a source of frustration for commuters in the region.
