Mumbai commuters faced a significant setback on Thursday morning with the unexpected closure of the Kandivali subway for ten hours, which caused massive traffic congestion in the area. Less than a day after Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the reopened section of the Western Express Highway (WEH) above the Akurli underpass, the sudden closure of the subway came as an unpleasant surprise to Kandivali East residents.
The abrupt move threw local traffic into disarray, severely impacting routes accessing the WEH and Kandivali railway station. The situation was particularly challenging for daily commuters. Residents reported severe delays and a lack of prior notification, leaving many struggling to find alternative routes. One commuter from Lokhandwala Township, who travels to Kandivali West for work, shared her frustration, stating, “There was no prior information about the closure. I ended up taking a shared rickshaw to the highway, which took half an hour, then had to cross the underpass on foot to get another rickshaw to the station.”
Many other travellers were seen walking through the underpass to reach the station due to the traffic chaos. The sudden closure led to confusion, with local WhatsApp groups flooded with messages speculating about the duration of the disruption. The widening work, which had been scheduled to occur between midnight and 6 am, was abruptly extended, raising concerns that the closure could last for days or even weeks. One commuter, who opted to work from home, voiced his irritation over the lack of transparency. “Traffic congestion is already a major issue in Kandivali East,” he said. “It’s frustrating. We think we have time to reach the office, and suddenly, we find ourselves stuck for hours. While I understand the widening work is for our benefit, advance notice would have been appreciated.”
A police inspector later clarified that the daytime closure was a temporary measure. “Early this morning, during the widening work, a machine hit a corner, causing a significant amount of debris to fall. The underpass was closed to clear this debris,” he explained. He further assured that the widening project is on track for completion by October 2. “The last phase is underway, which includes the removal of the remaining walls and the final concreting. The monsoon will not affect the progress, but the completion ultimately depends on the contractor appointed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA),” he added.
The widening of the Kandivali underpass, a critical infrastructure project aimed at easing traffic flow, commenced in September 2019. However, the project has faced multiple delays, including a significant setback caused by the discovery of a CNG pipeline at the site. The latest hiccup adds to the challenges faced by the project, which has become a focal point for both commuters and local authorities. While the completion of the widening by October 2 remains the stated goal, the recent closure underscores the unpredictability surrounding infrastructure projects in Mumbai. The episode has highlighted the need for better communication and contingency planning to minimise disruption to daily commuters.
