Motorists in Thane are once again bracing for prolonged traffic congestion as the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) prepares to commence repair work on a 700-metre stretch of Ghodbunder Road, one of the city’s busiest and most accident-prone corridors. The project, slated to begin on November 10, is expected to last around ten days, civic officials confirmed.
The affected portion, between Gaimukh’s octroi post and the local police chowky, has long been a source of commuter frustration. The uneven surface, riddled with recurring potholes, routinely slows down vehicular flow and causes extended traffic snarls in both directions. The situation worsens during monsoon months when patchwork repairs quickly erode, leading to repeated safety hazards. Ghodbunder Road, spanning about 14 kilometres, is a crucial arterial link connecting Thane to the Western Express Highway via Mira-Bhayandar. The section between Majiwada and Gaimukh falls under TMC’s jurisdiction, while the stretch up to the Ahmedabad Highway is managed by the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC). This dual responsibility often results in uncoordinated repair work, frustrating thousands of daily commuters.
Just earlier this month, repair activity by MBMC between the Ahmedabad Highway junction and Gaimukh triggered hours-long traffic chaos. Matters worsened when a truck carrying heavy machinery toppled on the same stretch, paralysing vehicular movement for several hours. According to civic engineers, the upcoming repair will use mastic asphalt, a material often criticised for its short life span under heavy rainfall and traffic load. Transport experts and residents argue that the only lasting solution lies in complete concretisation of the stretch, a demand that has repeatedly been raised in public meetings with civic authorities.
Urban mobility experts have cautioned that repeated asphalt layering not only wastes public funds but also alters the road’s gradient, increasing risks for smaller vehicles on steep sections like the Gaimukh Ghat. Residents complain that poor material quality and rushed maintenance continue to plague both TMC and MBMC’s infrastructure projects. Civic engineers from TMC have stated that the repair work will be executed in phases, with one lane operational at all times to minimise congestion. The schedule will be finalised in consultation with the Thane Traffic Police, and diversions are likely to be announced shortly.
While necessary from a safety standpoint, the upcoming repairs once again highlight the pressing need for long-term, sustainable urban road planning. Without durable, eco-friendly materials and synchronised inter-agency coordination, Thane’s key mobility corridors risk remaining in a perpetual state of repair—much to the detriment of commuters and the city’s larger goal of sustainable, efficient transport.
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