Closure of Mumbra bypass for repairs for the next two months has thrown traffic off gear on the first day itself. Complaining that they were caught up in traffic for one and a half hour, motorists said that the bypass should be partially opened for light vehicles at least.
From Tuesday mid-night, Mumbra bypass was shut for repairs. As a result light vehicles frothat commute from Dombivli, Kalyan, Navi Mumbai to Thane have to travel through old Mumbai-Pune road through Mumbra, leading to a traffic nightmare for both motorists and passengers who were stuck on the diverted routes.
Rajendra Dahibavkar, an entrepreneur from Kalwa who owns a factory at Anandnagar, said that he was stuck in traffic at Kausa for more than an hour. "Earlier it took me 50 minutes to travel to Ambernath from Kalwa and back. But on Tuesday, I reached home almost two hours late," he said.
In a similar situation, Rajesh More, a resident of Dombivlii who works in a private firm in Thane and often rides through Mumbra bypass on his bike complained of his tiresome drive.
"I left office at 5.30 to reach home around 9pm; two hours late. The traffic was maddening as it was peak hour," says More.
Motorists feel that at least light vehicles should be allowed to use the bypass. "They can stop the heavy vehicles but at least one lane should be left open for smaller vehicles," says Dahibavkar. "Dealing with such traffic for next two months would get really hectic," he says.
The traffic department, however, said that they have no option but to divert the traffic through Airoli and Kalyan Fata. "The PWD should have started the repairs much earlier and the speed at which the work is progressing, we feel that the repairs would take more than two months," says a senior police official.
OUT OF GEAR
- Mumbra bypass was shut for repairs from Tuesday midnight.
- The bypass will be closed for two months.
- Shutdown threw traffic off gear on 1st day itself
- Traffic dept said that they have no option but to divert the traffic through Airoli and Kalyan Fata
