MMRDA proposes elevated road from Thane to Padgha

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) is addressing the escalating traffic volume on the Mumbai-Nashik Expressway by proposing an elevated road from Thane to Padgha. MMRDA Commissioner Sanjay Mukherjee stated that the authority has initiated a detailed study for the project. Motorists would incur toll charges for using the elevated road but can expect seamless travel between Thane and Padgha, with the added benefit of connectivity to the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway. Responsibility for infrastructure development on this route, linking Mumbai and Thane to Nashik and other northern destinations, lies with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The existing Bhiwandi bypass, planned during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule in the late 1990s, faces challenges such as illegal warehouses and deteriorating road conditions, especially during monsoon seasons. Despite attempts to address these issues, delays in road widening persist, impacting traffic flow. MMRDA has already constructed two flyovers along the Bhiwandi bypass. NHAI's efforts to widen the road from Padgha to Thane to an eight-lane highway have faced setbacks due to financial issues with contractors. While the NHAI has now assigned the contract to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), progress remains sluggish. The Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway has been partially opened up to Igatpuri, with plans for full completion by June of the current year. According to a deputy police commissioner who formerly worked in the traffic division of the Thane police, challenges persist with illegal smaller roads puncturing the Bhiwandi bypass and heavy traffic servicing illegal godowns impeding the flow of other vehicles. Suggestions for an elevated road primarily for small cars have been proposed to alleviate these issues.