Urgent resurfacing works on the damaged Ghodbunder Highway have prompted the Thane traffic authorities to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles for three days, starting midnight of August 8. The critical decision aims to facilitate uninterrupted repairs along the Gaimukh Ghat stretch, one of the most battered links in Mumbai’s extended road network.
The Ghodbunder Highway, a vital arterial corridor connecting Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Gujarat, Northern Maharashtra, and the Konkan region, has long suffered from infrastructural stress, exacerbated by monsoon wear and increasing freight volumes. Now, with major road damages surfacing along key segments, traffic police and district authorities are executing coordinated diversions to clear the way for urgent resurfacing and strengthening. According to the schedule issued by the Thane traffic division, restrictions on freight movement will remain in force until 5 am on August 10. Freight trucks travelling from Thane, Navi Mumbai, and central suburbs towards Gujarat or western suburbs are being diverted via Kapurbawdi-Kasheli or Majiwada-Kharegaon-Mankoli-Anjur Phata routes to ease pressure on the highway. Similarly, inbound trucks from Gujarat and the western side will be diverted near Fountain Hotel and Chinchoti Phata.
The ban, however, exempts private four-wheelers, public transport buses, and small commercial vehicles. Despite this, officials have advised commuters to opt for alternate routes to avoid bottlenecks, especially in light of the festive weekend when vehicular density is expected to spike. The decision follows a strong push from senior state leadership, who recently flagged the poor condition of roads in Thane district. In response, the district collector directed that the Ghodbunder Highway—due to its high traffic density and economic significance—be prioritised for immediate repairs.
Experts in urban mobility say the move, while temporary, reflects a broader systemic issue facing India’s rapidly expanding cities: infrastructure maintenance is struggling to keep pace with vehicular growth and logistics demand. The Ghodbunder corridor, once hailed as a crucial bypass relieving Mumbai’s central arteries, now grapples with frequent potholes, traffic snarls, and safety concerns. Authorities believe that the planned repairs, if executed efficiently, will enhance travel safety, reduce vehicular wear and tear, and restore crucial freight connectivity. Local officials have also called for a long-term road maintenance plan backed by modern monitoring tools to ensure road conditions don’t deteriorate to emergency levels again.
While the curbs may cause temporary inconvenience to transporters and logistics operators, the administration maintains that this short disruption is essential for long-term resilience and improved quality of infrastructure in Thane’s growing urban sprawl.
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