Come December 1, and you can expect more traffic snarls in the Central suburbs. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) plans to shutdown the Sion flyover that connects eastern and Central suburbs to south Mumbai for some major repairs. Envisioning major bottlenecks and traffic jams, the Mumbai Traffic Police (MTP) has sought a detailed plan from MSRDC regarding traffic management and diversions.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar confirmed that they have sought details on traffic diversions from MSRDC if 1.1-km-long Sion flyover is shut for repairs. According to MSRDC, the repairs will tentatively start around December 1 and go on for five months. A MSRDC official said, "The repair work cannot be done with live traffic. The repairs need to done during the daylight. We will also work during night hours to avoid inconvenience." The repair work includes changing of bearings and expansion joints on the 1.1-km-long flyover. It was constructed in late 1990s and witnesses around 15,000 vehicles plying above it daily.
MTP officials are worried that the Delisle Bridge shutdown in Lower Parel has already led to traffic congestion at Elphinstone Bridge and Jacob Circle. The shutdown of Sion flyover will further impact traffic flow around Lower Parel and Mahalaxmi as thousands of motorists depend on the Sion flyover to travel towards Western suburbs as well as South Mumbai.
The Delisle Bridge was shut by Western Railway and BMC after it was found unfit for use. Currently, it is under repairs. The total cost of repair work of 2+2 lanes of Sion flyover is around Rs 6 crore, and MSRDC has already appointed a contractor to carry out the repairs.
"We were to start work post monsoon but we waited for Diwali to go. The primary diversion during repairs would be from the service roads that are parallel to the flyover -- Santacruz-Chembur Link Road for those coming from Bandra Kurla Complex or western side. But we are working on the diversions that will be submitted to traffic police for clearance," added the MSRDC official.
Meanwhile, Darshan Talajia, a motorist, who stays at Charni Road and travels to BKC for work said that he will have to travel through congested service roads of Sion flyover to go towards BKC.
